LACK OF CORRELATION BETWEEN INTERCURRENT INFECTION AND GROWTH FAILURE IN CHILDREN WITH HIV INFECTION. 1010

Abstract

Weight loss in adults with advanced HIV infection has been shown to correlate with the occurrence of episodes of acute infection. Likewise, weight loss in adults and growth failure in children have been indicators of disease progression. We sought to determine whether episodes of acute infection could be correlated with growth failure in children. Weights were obtained from the clinic records of 31 HIV-infected children at 2 month intervals with an average of 9.5 intervals for each child. All children at all visits were weighed in light clothing using the same scale. These measurements were normalized by converting the weights into z-scores (GrowTrak, Genentech). The problem list was reviewed to identify any infections that occurred during the preceding 2 month interval. Contingency tables were constructed by coding each interval according to whether there was a change in the weight z-score of >±0.3. Smaller variations were recorded as no change. An interval infection was recorded as present or not present. 183 infections occurred in 135 of a total of 294 intervals, with the most common being viral upper respiratory illnesses and otitis media; 16 were opportunistic. The 5 episodes of varicella were all uncomplicated. 12 patients were CDC immunologic class 1, 11 class 2, and 8 class 3. There was no correlation between growth failure and interval infection events among all children, nor when each immunologic class was analyzed separately. Adults with advanced HIV infection experience more opportunistic infections, while children experience more frequent episodes of common childhood infections that do not appear correlated with growth failure.