Dr. Howard Smith Oncall

Vidcast:  https://youtu.be/Wuw8pTzG7KA   Men and women infected with HIV should avoid drinking to excess.  This recommendation comes from immunologic studies completed at the Boston University School of Medicine.   The researchers there tested a group of HIV-positive subjects and determined their immune competence by assessing 3 individual processes: systemic inflammation, monocyte activation, and atypical coagulation..  Their levels of alcohol consumption were quantitated by a phosphatidyl-ethanol determination that quantitates alcohol consumption episodes for 21 days afterwards.   Those men and women with more alcohol in their blood showed more significantly altered immune function.  The drinking upper limit for women was 3/drinks a day and for men was 3-4 drinks a day.  Keep in mind also that a 2015 Yale study did show that HIV-infected men are more sensitive to the negative effects of alcohol than the uninflected.   These and other studies indicate the need for those with HIV to be ultra-careful about the