Tality declined [29,30]. As a consequence, the wasting syndrome has become a less frequent clinical concern and the nutritional management of patients with AIDS has been largely directed to the lipodystrophy and metabolic alterations associated with HAART [31,32]. This study is one of the first in Brazil to describe the prevalence of nutritional deficiencies in hospitalized patients in the era of HAART. Cross-sectional studies have shown the prevalence of malnutrition in Brazilian outpatients with HIV to be 3? [33?5]. Our findings show that malnutrition remains an important public health problem among patients hospitalized with AIDS, affecting 43 of those admitted to the public reference hospital for infectious diseases in Brazil’s third largest city. In fact, our results may underestimate the burden of malnutrition at hospitalization because we did not include patients with more severe disease presentation, such as those with cognitive impairment and immediate intensive care requirement.Malnutrition in Patients Hospitalized with AIDSTable 2. Nutritional characteristics of patients hospitalized with AIDS according to the method used to determine weight and height.Method for determining weight and height* Measured (n = 98) Number ( ) or median [IQR] Weight loss ( ){ Severe (.20.0) Moderate (10.1?0.0) Mild (#10.0) None Body mass index (kg/m2) ,16.00 16.00?6.99 17.00?8.49 18.50?4.99 25.00 Lean body mass depletion{ Severe Mild to moderate Within normal limits Body fat mass depletion1 Severe Mild to moderate Within normal limits Albumin (g/dL)” Hemoglobin (mg/dL) 44 (35) 26 (20) 21 (17) 36 (28) 19 (15) 10 (8) 26 (20) 68 (54) 4 (3) 80 (63) 20 (16) 27 (21) 38 (30) 47 (37) 42 (33) 2.4 [1.8?.9] 10.2 [9.1?2.0] 32 (33) 25 (26) 20 (20) 21 (21) 13 (13) 10 (10) 19 (19) 53 (54) 3 (3) 64 (65) 13 (13) 21 (21) 30 (31) 39 (40) 29 (30) 2.4 [1.8?.9] 10.1 [8.7?1.8] 12 (42) 1 (3) 1 (3) 15 (52) 6 (21) 0 (0) 7 (24) 15 (52) 1 (3) 16 (55) 7 (24) 6 (21) 8 (28) 8 (28) 13 (45) 2.3 [2.1?.8] 10.9 [9.2?2.7] Estimated (n = 29)CharacteristicAll patients (N = 127)*Measured = height and weight were directly measured. Estimated = height and weight were estimated [20,21]. None of the differences between the two groups was statistically significant at a = 0.05. { Percentage of body weight loss was estimated based on the weight at hospital admission and the patient’s self-reported weight of six months prior to current illness. { Lean body mass depletion was estimated using mid-upper arm muscle area with a correction for the bone area. Categories for lean body mass depletion were defined by comparison of the estimator to population norms [26]. Depletion was classified as within normal limits (.15th percentile), mild to moderate depletion (5th?5th percentiles) and severe depletion (,5th percentile). 1 Body fat mass depletion was estimated using triceps skinfold thickness. Categories for body fat mass depletion were defined by comparison of the estimator to population norms [26]. Depletion was classified as within normal limits (.15th percentile), mild to moderate depletion (5th?5th percentiles) and severe depletion (,5th percentile). ” Albumin values were CAL 120 site available for 105 patients (82 and 23 with weight and height measured and estimate, respectively). IQR = interquartile range. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0048717.tReasons for AIDS-related hospitalization are BIBS39 site diverse and may include late diagnosis, non-adherence or poor access to HAART, and clinical failure of treatment. Our res.Tality declined [29,30]. As a consequence, the wasting syndrome has become a less frequent clinical concern and the nutritional management of patients with AIDS has been largely directed to the lipodystrophy and metabolic alterations associated with HAART [31,32]. This study is one of the first in Brazil to describe the prevalence of nutritional deficiencies in hospitalized patients in the era of HAART. Cross-sectional studies have shown the prevalence of malnutrition in Brazilian outpatients with HIV to be 3? [33?5]. Our findings show that malnutrition remains an important public health problem among patients hospitalized with AIDS, affecting 43 of those admitted to the public reference hospital for infectious diseases in Brazil’s third largest city. In fact, our results may underestimate the burden of malnutrition at hospitalization because we did not include patients with more severe disease presentation, such as those with cognitive impairment and immediate intensive care requirement.Malnutrition in Patients Hospitalized with AIDSTable 2. Nutritional characteristics of patients hospitalized with AIDS according to the method used to determine weight and height.Method for determining weight and height* Measured (n = 98) Number ( ) or median [IQR] Weight loss ( ){ Severe (.20.0) Moderate (10.1?0.0) Mild (#10.0) None Body mass index (kg/m2) ,16.00 16.00?6.99 17.00?8.49 18.50?4.99 25.00 Lean body mass depletion{ Severe Mild to moderate Within normal limits Body fat mass depletion1 Severe Mild to moderate Within normal limits Albumin (g/dL)” Hemoglobin (mg/dL) 44 (35) 26 (20) 21 (17) 36 (28) 19 (15) 10 (8) 26 (20) 68 (54) 4 (3) 80 (63) 20 (16) 27 (21) 38 (30) 47 (37) 42 (33) 2.4 [1.8?.9] 10.2 [9.1?2.0] 32 (33) 25 (26) 20 (20) 21 (21) 13 (13) 10 (10) 19 (19) 53 (54) 3 (3) 64 (65) 13 (13) 21 (21) 30 (31) 39 (40) 29 (30) 2.4 [1.8?.9] 10.1 [8.7?1.8] 12 (42) 1 (3) 1 (3) 15 (52) 6 (21) 0 (0) 7 (24) 15 (52) 1 (3) 16 (55) 7 (24) 6 (21) 8 (28) 8 (28) 13 (45) 2.3 [2.1?.8] 10.9 [9.2?2.7] Estimated (n = 29)CharacteristicAll patients (N = 127)*Measured = height and weight were directly measured. Estimated = height and weight were estimated [20,21]. None of the differences between the two groups was statistically significant at a = 0.05. { Percentage of body weight loss was estimated based on the weight at hospital admission and the patient’s self-reported weight of six months prior to current illness. { Lean body mass depletion was estimated using mid-upper arm muscle area with a correction for the bone area. Categories for lean body mass depletion were defined by comparison of the estimator to population norms [26]. Depletion was classified as within normal limits (.15th percentile), mild to moderate depletion (5th?5th percentiles) and severe depletion (,5th percentile). 1 Body fat mass depletion was estimated using triceps skinfold thickness. Categories for body fat mass depletion were defined by comparison of the estimator to population norms [26]. Depletion was classified as within normal limits (.15th percentile), mild to moderate depletion (5th?5th percentiles) and severe depletion (,5th percentile). ” Albumin values were available for 105 patients (82 and 23 with weight and height measured and estimate, respectively). IQR = interquartile range. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0048717.tReasons for AIDS-related hospitalization are diverse and may include late diagnosis, non-adherence or poor access to HAART, and clinical failure of treatment. Our res.