Height and weight of children infected with HIV tend to lag behind that of uninfected children, the authors explain, but there are few data about the effects of the introduction of HAART on growth.

Dr. Sara Guillen from Hospital 12 de Octubre, Madrid, and colleagues assessed the growth improvement in 212 children who received HAART and its association with immunological response, virological response, and lipodystrophy. The children were evaluated each year from 1 through 5 years old.

Treatment with HAART was associated with significant increases in z-scores of weight and height, but not with increases in body mass index z-scores, at all time points analyzed, the authors report.

Weight and height improvements were significantly better among children with better virological responses to HAART, the researchers note, but there were no significant correlations between height and weight and immunological response.

Children with CDC clinical category C experienced greater increases in height z-scores (but not weight or body mass index z-scores) than did children with more favorable clinical categories A and B, the report indicates.

Growth change over time did not differ according to the presence or absence of lipodystrophy.

The authors conclude that HAART can allow HIV-infection children to "catch-up" in height and weight, and sustained growth appears to be associated with continued virologic suppression.

Pediatr Infect Dis J 2007;26:334-338.

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