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[Anthropometric characteristics of HIV infected malnourished children in Ivory Coast]
1CHU de Treichville, Abidjan, Côte d'Ivoire.
Insights
Stunting is not a reliable indicator for identifying HIV infection in malnourished children. Further research is needed to understand and manage HIV-related nutritional disorders, particularly in endemic regions.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Nutrition
- Infectious Diseases
- Child Health
Context:
- HIV infection in children often leads to stunting and weight loss.
- Malnutrition is prevalent in many regions, complicating HIV management.
- Assessing anthropometric indicators is crucial for understanding child health outcomes.
Purpose:
- To determine if stunting (height-for-age) can discriminate HIV status in malnourished children.
- To analyze anthropometric indices in HIV-positive versus HIV-negative malnourished children.
- To evaluate the relationship between stunting and HIV infection in pediatric populations.
Summary:
- A retrospective study of 66 malnourished children (older than 15 months) in Côte d'Ivoire found no significant difference in stunting rates between HIV-positive (45%) and HIV-negative children.
- Anthropometric indices, including height-for-age, were not significantly different between seropositive and seronegative groups.
- Stunting was found in 66% of HIV-positive and 58% of HIV-negative children, indicating it is not a discriminating factor for HIV.
Impact:
- Highlights the need for comprehensive nutritional assessment beyond stunting for HIV diagnosis in malnourished children.
- Underscores the necessity of further research into HIV-associated nutritional disorders.
- Informs improved nutritional management strategies for children with HIV, especially in high-malnutrition areas like Africa.
Abstract:
Stunting and weight-loss are common complications of HIV infection in children. The aim of this study was to assess whether stunting, assessed using a height-for-age index, is a discriminating factor for HIV in malnourished children. This is a retrospective study of 66 children, all older than 15 months, with marasmus-type malnutrition. They were studied at a nursery in the Côte d'Ivoire from 1994 to 1995. Forty-five percent of the children were HIV-positive. The anthropometric indices (weight-for-age, weight-for-height, height-for-age and body mass index) were lower in seropositive than in seronegative children, but the difference was not significant. The rate of stunting was similar in the two groups, with 66% of seropositive and 58% of seronegative children stunted. Thus, stunting was not a discriminating factor for HIV infection. Studies aimed at increasing our understanding of nutritional disorders associated with HIV are necessary to improve the nutritional management of these children, especially in Africa where malnutrition is endemic.
