Growth patterns and anaemia status of HIV-infected children living in an institutional facility in India.
OBJECTIVE
To understand the health status of HIV orphans in a well-structured institutional facility in India.


METHODS
Prospective longitudinal analysis of growth and anaemia prevalence among these children, between June 2008 and May 2011.


RESULTS
A total of 85 HIV-infected orphan children residing at Sneha Care Home, Bangalore, for at least 1 year, were included in the analysis. Prevalence of anaemia at entry into the home was 40%, with the cumulative incidence of anaemia during the study period being 85%. At baseline, 79% were underweight and 72% were stunted. All children, irrespective of their antiretroviral therapy (ART) status, showed an improvement in nutritional status over time as demonstrated by a significant increase in weight (median weight-for-age Z-score: -2.75 to -1.74, P < 0.001) and height Z-scores (median height-for-age Z-score: -2.69 to -1.63, P < 0.001).


CONCLUSIONS
These findings suggest that good nutrition even in the absence of ART can bring about improvement in growth. The Sneha Care Home model indicates that the holistic approach used in the Home may have been helpful in combating HIV and poor nutritional status in severely malnourished orphaned children.
Department of Pediatrics, St. John's Medical College Hospital, Bangalore, India.
Prasanna K
PK
Kapavarapu
Omar
O
Bari
Mathew
M
Perumpil
Christopher
C
Duggan
Chitra
C
Dinakar
Shubha
S
Krishnamurthy
Karthika
K
Arumugam
Anita
A
Shet
D000293:Adolescent; D000740:Anemia / Q000453:epidemiology*; D044966:Anti-Retroviral Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001837:Body Weights and Measures; D018791:CD4 Lymphocyte Count; D002648:Child; D002657:Child Development; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000097:blood* / Q000188:drug therapy; D006801:Humans; D007194:India / Q000453:epidemiology; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D044342:Malnutrition / Q000453:epidemiology; D009752:Nutritional Status; D019372:Orphanages / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*
D044966:Anti-Retroviral Agents