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Weight gain in children from birth to 10 years on antiretroviral treatment


Janine Scholtz
Susanna M. Ellis
Herculina S. Kruger

Abstract

Background: Inadequate weight gain could indicate clinical deterioration in infants and children living with HIV (CLHIV). The World Health Organization’s  (WHO) weight-for-age z-score (WAZ) growth standards and reference charts are currently used in South Africa to assess weight gain in CLHIV on  antiretroviral treatment (ART).


Objectives: To assess weight gain patterns of infants and children initiated on ART and to compare weight gain patterns between the WHO WAZ growth  standards and populationspecific curves constructed from data of CLHIV on ART.


Method: A quantitative, retrospective and descriptive-comparative design was used. The weight gain patterns of 98 infants and children from birth to 10  years old during the 24-month period following ART initiation were recorded and assessed using two different growth harts.


Results: The children’s rate  of weight and length gain improved significantly over 24 months since ART initiation, but complete catch-up growth was never achieved. Most (69%) of  the children had increased weight gain according to the WAZ growth standard and reference charts versus only 16% according to the HIV-specific weight  gain curves.


Conclusion: Antiretroviral treatment improved weight and height gain in CLHIV, but the interpretations of weight gain differed significantly  between the WHO chart and HIV-specific weight gain curves. Population- and treatment-specific references could improve weight monitoring in CLHIV  and assist in the timeous identification of malnutrition.


Journal Identifiers


eISSN: 2078-6751
print ISSN: 1608-9693