ClinicalTrials.gg
CompletedNCT00053612Updated Dec 14, 2016

Vitamin A to Reduce HIV in Vaginal Secretions and Prevent Viral Transmission

A Phase 2 interventional study of Vitamin A in HIV Infections, Vitamin A Deficiency and HIV Seronegativity, sponsored by National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID). Completed. Open to female participants. Per ClinicalTrials.gov, last updated 2016-12-14.

Sponsored by National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) · Phase 2, Interventional, and Prevention

Phase
Phase 2
Study type
Interventional
Enrollment
400
Allocation
Randomized
Sex
Female
01

Where this study stands

Counted across the records on this site · 2026-11-12

Among 1,034 studies in HIV Infections by National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) — 10 open to participants now, 15 under way, 1 of them phase 3. HIV Infections · National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID).

Enrollment
119th of 883
400 · median 59
Phase 2
225 of 1,034
2 open now
Registered
667th of 1,034
by date

Among the 1,034 studies in HIV Infections by National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), this one is the 119th largest by enrollment of the 883 interventional ones that give a count, is one of 225 in phase 2, and was the 667th registered.

HIV Infections

4,734 studies on the registry are indexed under HIV Infections; 244 are open to participants now.

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Open to participants now

10 of the 1,034 studies in HIV Infections by National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) are open now, in 12 countries. Recruiting first, the newest first:

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By country, each count listing its studies:

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Who these studies take

Of the 158 HIV Infections studies recruiting now, 104 (66%) set no upper age limit and 41 (26%) stop at 75 or younger; 31 take children under 18; 60 take healthy volunteers.

This study: female · no healthy volunteers.

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02

Study summary

HIV infected individuals with vitamin A deficiency may be more likely to transmit the virus to others than HIV infected individuals who have normal levels of vitamin A. The presence of HIV DNA in vaginal secretions may indicate a greater risk for transmission of HIV to others. The purpose of this study is to determine if taking vitamin A decreases the level of HIV DNA in vaginal secretions.

Read the detailed description

Vitamin A deficiency leads to pathological changes in mucosal epithelium, including the vagina, and is correlated with immune dysfunction in both HIV-1 infected and uninfected individuals. Recent studies of genital tract shedding of HIV-1 DNA in infected women have found that lower serum concentrations of vitamin A were strongly associated with detection of HIV-1 in vaginal secretions. In addition, maternal vitamin A deficiency has been associated with significantly increased risk of vertical HIV-1 transmission. This study will assess the effect of vitamin A supplementation on the prevalence and quantity of HIV-1 DNA and RNA in cervical and vaginal secretions.

Participants in this study will be HIV infected nonpregnant women in Mombasa, Kenya. Participants will be randomized to receive 6 weeks of daily dosage of either 10,000 IU vitamin A or placebo. Cervical and vaginal swabs will be obtained at enrollment and at Week 6 for detection and quantification of HIV-1 DNA and RNA. In addition, venous blood will be obtained at the two time points for quantification of plasma HIV-1 RNA, CD4 lymphocyte count, and serum vitamin A levels.

03

Conditions studied

  • HIV Infections
  • Vitamin A Deficiency
  • HIV Seronegativity

Keywords

  • HIV-1
  • Women
  • Vitamin A
  • Shedding
04

Who can participate

Ages eligible
Child (0–17), Adult (18–64), Older adult (65+)
Sexes eligible
Female
Accepts healthy volunteers
No

Eligibility criteria

Inclusion Criteria:

  • infected

Exlusion Criteria:

  • Pregnant
Terms in these criteria, in plain language(1)

Underlined terms in the criteria open these too. Explained by clinicaltrials.gg, not part of the registry record. The study team decides who can take part.

HIV

The human immunodeficiency virus, which weakens the immune system.

Many studies now accept people whose HIV is controlled on treatment, judged by the viral load and the CD4 count. Check the limits this study sets.

05

Study design

Phase
Phase 2
Primary purpose
Prevention
Allocation
Randomized
Intervention model
Parallel assignment
Masking
Double
Enrollment
400 participants

Interventions

06

Study locations

No study locations are listed for this record.

07

Updates

Tracking since Sep 25, 2026
No changes since tracking began. The registry record was last updated on Dec 14, 2016, before this site started recording changes on Sep 25, 2026. Its history is on ClinicalTrials.gov ↗
08

Registry details

Key details

Study ID
NCT00053612
First posted
Feb 5, 2003
Primary completion
Jun 2006
Completion
Jun 2006
Last update
Dec 14, 2016

Study contacts

Joan Kreiss, MD, MPH
principal investigator · Universiy of Washington, Seattle, WA
View the source record on ClinicalTrials.gov ↗

Not currently enrolling

This study is completed, as verified in Aug 2007. You cannot join it, but the record below documents what was studied.

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Studies of the drug tested here: Vitamin A

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