GLUCOSE PRODUCTION RATES IN INFANTS WITH CONGENITAL HIV INFECTION. 702

Abstract

Congenital human inmunodeficiency virus infection (HIV) can lead to brain damage in utero. Because the CNS utilizes the majority of circulating glucose in the normal infant, we explored the use of whole-body glucose production rate (GPR) to detect prenatal brain damage using (6,6-2H2) glucose tracer. We performed 20 studies in 16 patients, weight range 790-3714 g, between 2 and 35 days of age, born to mothers with HIV disease. Final HIV status is known in 14 patients, two are pending results. At follow up at 3 to 34 months, 2 infants have died, one of HIV and the other with severe brain damage not related to HIVinfection. The two infants who are HIV positive were premature; however, the HIV negative infants include 2 prematures (25%). The GPR of HIV positive babies was 5.4mg/kg/min, not significantly different from HIV negative infants, GPR 4.75mg/kg/min. One infant who developed hydrocephaly and spastic quadriparesis, not related to HIVstatus, had a low GPR of 3.5mg/kg/min. We conclude that GPR of infants exposed to HIV in utero is similar to that of normal babies.