HIV-infected children treated with highly active
antiretroviral therapy (HAART) experience significant catch-up in
height and weight, according to a report in the April issue of The
Pediatric Infectious Disease Journal.
Height and weight of children infected with HIV tend to lag behind
that of uninfected children, the authors explain, but there are few
data about the effects of the introduction of HAART on growth.
Dr. Sara Guillen from Hospital 12 de Octubre, Madrid, and colleagues
assessed the growth improvement in 212 children who received HAART and
its association with immunological response, virological response, and
lipodystrophy. The children were evaluated each year from 1 through 5
years old.
Treatment with HAART was associated with significant increases in
z-scores of weight and height, but not with increases in body mass
index z-scores, at all time points analyzed, the authors report.
Weight and height improvements were significantly better among
children with better virological responses to HAART, the researchers
note, but there were no significant correlations between height and
weight and immunological response.
Children with CDC clinical category C experienced greater increases
in height z-scores (but not weight or body mass index z-scores) than
did children with more favorable clinical categories A and B, the
report indicates.
Growth change over time did not differ according to the presence or absence of lipodystrophy.
The authors conclude that HAART can allow HIV-infection children to
"catch-up" in height and weight, and sustained growth appears to be
associated with continued virologic suppression.
Pediatr Infect Dis J 2007;26:334-338.
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