Lipodystrophy in children and adolescents with acquired immunodeficiency syndrome and its relationship with the antiretroviral therapy employed.
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate the presence of clinical lipodystrophy in children with the acquired immunodeficiency syndrome and to relate it to the antiretroviral regimen employed, to changes in lipid profile and to insulin resistance.


METHODS
This was a cross-sectional study that evaluated 30 children and adolescents (median age = 9.1 years) with the acquired immunodeficiency syndrome during 2004 and 2005. The following clinical and laboratory evaluations were performed: classification of HIV infection, anthropometric measurements (weight and height), serum glycemia, serum insulin and lipid profile (LDL-c, HDL-c, triglycerides). Lipodystrophy was diagnosed using clinical parameters. The chi-square test was used for statistical analysis.


RESULTS
All of the patients were taking antiretroviral therapy regularly (median duration of 28.4 months); 80% were on three drugs in combination (highly active therapy) and 30% were on protease inhibitors. Lipodystrophy and dyslipidemia were observed in 53.3 and 60% of the patients, respectively. Children on a highly active therapy regimen with protease inhibitors exhibited a higher percentage of mixed lipodystrophy; the difference between these children and the group on highly active therapy without protease inhibitors and the group not on a highly active therapy was statistically significant (44.4 vs. 16.7%; p = 0.004). There was no statistically significant association between the presence of lipodystrophy and sex, age (> 10 years), changes to the lipid profile or insulin resistance.


CONCLUSIONS
The elevated prevalence of dyslipidemia and lipodystrophy observed among children with acquired immunodeficiency syndrome, which exhibited a relationship with the antiretroviral regimen employed, may represent an increased risk for future complications, in particular cardiovascular problems.
Sarni
Roseli Oselka Saccardo
RO
Universidade Federal de São Paulo - Escola Paulista de Medicina, São Paulo, Brazil. rssarni@uol.com.br
Souza
Fabíola Isabel Suano de
FI
Battistini
Tânia Regina Beraldo
TR
Pitta
Tassiana Sacchi
TS
Fernandes
Ana Paula
AP
Tardini
Priscila Chemiotti
PC
Fonseca
Fernando Luis Affonso
FL
Dos Santos
Valter Pinho
VP
Lopez
Fábio Ancona
FA
D000163:Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome / Q000097:blood / Q000188:drug therapy*; D000293:Adolescent; D000886:Anthropometry; D023241:Antiretroviral Therapy, Highly Active / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000379:methods; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D050171:Dyslipidemias / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000175:diagnosis; D005260:Female; D039682:HIV-Associated Lipodystrophy Syndrome / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000175:diagnosis*; D006801:Humans; D008055:Lipids / Q000097:blood; D008297:Male
D008055:Lipids