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Effect of pre-existing malnutrition on growth parameters in HIV-infected children commencing antiretroviral therapy

A Bandyopadhyay1, S Bhattacharyya

  • 1Department of Pediatrics (Medicine), Calcutta Medical College, Kolkata, India. anuja.bandyopadhyay@gmail.com

Annals of Tropical Paediatrics
|November 22, 2008
PubMed

Insights

Pre-existing malnutrition in HIV-infected children may hinder their nutritional recovery even with antiretroviral therapy (ART). Children with malnutrition showed a less significant growth improvement compared to their well-nourished peers on ART.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatric Infectious Diseases
  • Nutritional Science
  • Growth and Development

Background:

  • Antiretroviral therapy (ART) generally improves growth in children with HIV.
  • The impact of pre-existing malnutrition on ART response remains poorly understood.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To prospectively assess how pre-existing malnutrition affects growth in HIV-infected children starting ART.
  • To compare growth outcomes between malnourished and non-malnourished HIV-infected children on ART.

Main Methods:

  • Prospective study of HIV-infected children (2 months to 8.5 years) initiated on ART.
  • Malnutrition defined by weight-for-age Z scores (WAZ) and height-for-age Z scores (HAZ) ≤ -2.
  • Monthly height and weight measurements for 18 months, analyzed using WHO growth standards and statistical tests.

Main Results:

  • Both malnourished (G1) and non-malnourished (G2) groups showed significant increases in HAZ and WAZ scores.
  • The non-malnourished group (G2) exhibited a trend towards significantly greater improvements in height and weight Z-scores compared to the malnourished group (G1).

Conclusions:

  • Pre-existing malnutrition in HIV-infected children may impede optimal nutritional response to ART.
  • Early nutritional assessment and intervention may be crucial for improving growth outcomes in these children.
Abstract

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