Pediatric HIV: new opportunities to treat children.
BACKGROUND
Treating HIV-infected children remains a challenge due to a lack of treatment options, appropriate drug formulations and, in countries with limited resources, insufficient access to diagnostic tests and treatment.


OBJECTIVE
To summarize current data concerning new opportunities to improve the treatment of HIV-infected children.


METHODS
This review includes data from the most recently published peer-reviewed publications, guidelines or presentations at international meetings concerning new ways to treat HIV-infected children.


CONCLUSIONS
New WHO guidelines recommend starting combination antiretroviral treatment in all infants aged < 1 year. Although this is common practice in some high-income countries, implementation of these recommendations in countries with limited resources is still a challenge. There is still an important gap between the availability of licensed drugs in children compared with adults. There remains a need for further pharmacokinetic studies, and for more pediatric formulations of antiretroviral drugs with improved palatability.
Van der Linden
Dimitri
D
Cliniques Universitaires UCL St Luc, Pediatrics Department, 10 Avenue Hippocrate, 1200 Brussels, Belgium. dimitri.vanderlinden@uclouvain.be
Callens
Steven
S
Brichard
Bénédicte
B
Colebunders
Robert
R
D000328:Adult; D019380:Anti-HIV Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000600:supply & distribution / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002648:Child; D003906:Developing Countries; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy*; D006801:Humans; D055118:Medication Adherence; D017410:Practice Guidelines as Topic; D013649:Taste; D014944:World Health Organization
D019380:Anti-HIV Agents