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Fatigue in children and adolescents perinatally infected with human immunodeficiency virus: an observational study

A M Ter Haar1, M M Nap-van der Vlist2, M Van den Hof3

  • 1Pediatric Infectious Diseases, Emma Children's Hospital, Amsterdam University Medical Centers, Location Academic Medical Center, University of Amsterdam, Meibergdreef 9, 1105, AZ, Amsterdam, the Netherlands. a.m.terhaar@amsterdamumc.nl.

BMC Pediatrics
|November 20, 2021
PubMed

Insights

Children with perinatally acquired HIV (PHIV+) do not report more fatigue than peers, but may experience more cognitive fatigue. Fatigue in PHIV+ is linked to their health-related quality of life (HRQOL).

Area of Science:

  • Pediatric Health
  • Infectious Diseases
  • Quality of Life Research

Background:

  • Fatigue is a common and impactful symptom in adults with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and children with chronic diseases (CCD).
  • Fatigue significantly affects health status and health-related quality of life (HRQOL).
  • Fatigue in children and adolescents perinatally infected with HIV (PHIV+) remains underexplored, particularly in the Netherlands.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To explore the prevalence and characteristics of fatigue in PHIV+.
  • To investigate the association between fatigue and HRQOL in PHIV+.
  • To compare fatigue levels in PHIV+ with HIV-uninfected controls, CCD, and the general Dutch population.

Main Methods:

  • An observational study involving 14 PHIV+ children and adolescents and 14 age/sex-matched HIV-uninfected controls.
  • Utilized the Pediatric Quality of Life Inventory™ (PedsQL 4.0) and the PedsQL Multidimensional Fatigue Scale (MFS) to measure HRQOL and fatigue.
  • Compared outcomes with children with chronic diseases (CCD) and the general Dutch population.

Main Results:

  • PHIV+ reported significantly less general fatigue compared to CCD.
  • No significant differences in overall fatigue scores were found between PHIV+ and HIV-uninfected controls, CCD, or the general Dutch population.
  • PHIV+ showed a trend towards lower cognitive fatigue scores compared to controls, though not statistically significant. Lower fatigue scores were associated with lower HRQOL in PHIV+.

Conclusions:

  • PHIV+ children and adolescents do not exhibit higher overall fatigue symptoms than their healthy peers.
  • Cognitive fatigue may be a more prominent concern for PHIV+.
  • Fatigue is associated with the HRQOL of children and adolescents with PHIV+, warranting further investigation.
Abstract

Keywords:
AdolescentChildFatigueHIV-infectionHealth-related quality of lifePediatricPerinatal HIVQuality of lifeVertical HIV

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