Lipodystrophy, lipid profile changes, and low serum retinol and carotenoid levels in children and adolescents with acquired immunodeficiency syndrome.

OBJECTIVE: To assess serum retinol and levels of carotenoids in children and adolescents with acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) and to correlate low serum retinol and carotenoid levels with the presence of lipodystrophy, lipid profile changes, lipid peroxidation, and insulin resistance. METHODS: A cross-sectional, controlled observational study was carried out with 30 children and adolescents with AIDS (mean age 9.1 y) receiving antiretroviral therapy (median length of treatment 28.4 mo), including 30 uninfected healthy controls matched for age and gender. Clinical and laboratory assessments were performed to determine nutritional status, presence of lipodystrophy, serum concentrations of retinol, beta-carotene, lycopene, lipid profile (high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, triacylglycerols), lipid peroxidation (thiobarbituric acid-reactive substances), glycemia, and serum insulin (homeostasis model assessment for insulin resistance, cutoff point >3). Statistical analysis was done with chi-square test and Student's t test. RESULTS: Lipodystrophy was observed in 53.3% of patients with AIDS, and dyslipidemia was detected in 60% and 23% of subjects with human immunodeficiency virus and control subjects, respectively (P = 0.004). A higher prevalence of retinol deficiency (60% versus 26.7%, P = 0.009) and beta-carotene deficiency (23.3% versus 3.3%, P = 0.026) was found in the group with human immunodeficiency virus than in the control group. No correlation was found for low retinol and beta-carotene levels, changes in lipid and glucose metabolism, or lipodystrophy in children and adolescents with AIDS. CONCLUSION: Despite the high frequency of dyslipidemia, lipodystrophy, and retinol and beta-carotene deficiencies, it was not possible to demonstrate a correlation of these findings with lipid peroxidation and insulin resistance. More studies are needed to investigate the causes of retinol and beta-carotene deficiencies in this population and the clinical consequences of these findings.

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.