Randomized Placebo-controlled Pilot Trial of Prebiotics+Glutamine in HIV Infection

A rapid and almost complete loss of CD4+ T cells from the gut associated lymphoid tissue (GALT) occurs early in HIV infection, with a permanent damage in the intestinal barrier, changes in gut microbiota, increased bacterial translocation and persistent immune activation, changes that are not restored after the initiation of antiretroviral therapy. The investigators hypothesize than an intervention targetting the enterocyte barrier and the gut microbiota might modify the gastrointestinal tract towards a bifidogenic microbiota and improve markers of bacterial translocation, inflammation, immune activation and endothelial dysfunction.

This is a randomized placebo-controlled clinical trial to evaluate the safety and effectiveness to modify gut microbiota, bacterial translocation, immune activation and markers of endothelial dysfunction of a dietary supplement (prebiotics + glutamine) during a period of six weeks. The study will enroll four cohorts: 1) HIV-infected, treatment naive individuals; 2) HIV-infected subjects, currently on ART, with \>350 CD4+ T-cells/uL; 3) HIV-infected subjects, currently on ART, with \<350 CD4+ T-cells/uL; 4) HIV negative healthy controls.