title: Anthropometric differences between HIV-infected individuals prior to antiretroviral treatment and the general population from 1998-2007: the AIDS Clinical Trials Group Longitudinal Linked Randomized Trials (ALLRT) cohort and NHANES.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To assess differences in body circumferences and body mass index (BMI, kg/m(2)) between antiretroviral treatment (ART) naïve HIV-infected and HIV-uninfected persons.
  
  
  METHODS
  Waist, arm, and thigh circumferences and BMI were measured within the ALLRT and NHANES cohorts between 1998 and 2007. ALLRT is a prospective, longitudinal study of U.S. participants enrolled in randomized HIV treatment studies conducted by the AIDS Clinical Trials Group (ACTG). NHANES is a representative group of the US population. The cohorts were analyzed in two time periods, to account for trends towards increased adiposity. Anthropometrics were displayed in percentiles by age and sex. Multiple linear regression models examined differences between cohorts.
  
  
  RESULTS
  ALLRT had more males (82% versus 48%, p<0.0001), more black participants (32% versus 23%, p<0.0001), and less Hispanics (21% versus 30%, p<0.0001) than NHANES. Mean BMI was smaller in ALLRT males and females compared to NHANES by 1.6-2.4 kg/m(2) (p<0.0001). Mean waist and arm circumferences in both sexes and time periods were significantly smaller in ALLRT than in NHANES (p<0.0001). Mean thigh circumference in ALLRT was also smaller than NHANES among males (p<0.0001 in both time periods) and females (p = 0.01 in the early time period).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Differences in anthropometrics existed prior to ART initiation, in this large national cohort of HIV-infected individuals, compared to a representative HIV-uninfected cohort, indicating that HIV and its complications have important effects on body shape. Further longitudinal examination of anthropometrics in this HIV-infected cohort may provide additional insight into disease risk.
  
  
  BACKGROUND
  NCT00001137 at www.clinicaltrials.gov.
authors.affiliation: Madison Clinic, Harborview Medical Center, Seattle, Washington, United States of America. batkinso@uw.edu
authors.forename: Benjamin E
authors.initials: BE
authors.lastname: Atkinson
authors.forename: Supriya
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Krishnan
authors.forename: Gary
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Cox
authors.forename: Todd
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Hulgan
authors.forename: Ann C
authors.initials: AC
authors.lastname: Collier
mesh_terms: D000163:Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome / Q000208:ethnology / Q000503:physiopathology*; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001741:Black or African American; D000886:Anthropometry; D015992:Body Mass Index; D005260:Female; D006678:HIV / Q000302:isolation & purification; D006630:Hispanic or Latino; D006801:Humans; D016014:Linear Models; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009749:Nutrition Surveys; D011446:Prospective Studies; D014481:United States; D055105:Waist Circumference; D044465:White People