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Measuring Frailty in HIV-infected Individuals. Identification of Frail Patients is the First Step to Amelioration and Reversal of Frailty
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Growth failure as the first expression of malnutrition in children with human immunodeficiency virus infection

V B Peters1, J R Rosh, L Mugrditchian

  • 1Department of Pediatrics, Mount Sinai School of Medicine, New York, NY 10029, USA.

The Mount Sinai Journal of Medicine, New York
|February 12, 1998
PubMed

Insights

Children with HIV infection show early linear growth decline before weight loss, indicating a need for nutritional support. Longitudinal growth monitoring is crucial for timely intervention in pediatric HIV.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatric infectious diseases
  • Nutritional science
  • Growth and development

Background:

  • Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection can significantly impact child development.
  • Understanding early nutritional deficits in pediatric HIV is critical for effective management.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To define the onset, pattern, and earliest signs of malnutrition in children with HIV.
  • To assess growth patterns in relation to HIV disease progression and nutritional support.

Main Methods:

  • Retrospective cross-sectional analysis of growth data in 54 children with perinatally acquired HIV.
  • Categorization of children into asymptomatic, symptomatic, and nutritionally supported groups.

Main Results:

  • Early decline in linear growth rate observed, with weight-for-age initially preserved.
  • Weight-for-height remained stable until advanced HIV disease.
  • Growth faltering precedes overt clinical wasting.

Conclusions:

  • The observed growth pattern can mask malnutrition, leading to a false impression of adequate nutrition.
  • Longitudinal growth data is essential for accurate nutritional assessment in children with HIV.
  • Linear growth failure prior to clinical wasting necessitates aggressive nutritional support.
Abstract

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