Status epilepticus as manifestation of posterior reversible encephalopathy syndrome in a healthy child.

Posterior reversible encephalopathy syndrome is a recently described cliniconeuroradiological syndrome reported in children with several predisposing conditions such as transplantation, autoimmune, hematological, infectious, renal, and neoplastic diseases or administration of chemotherapeutic immunosuppressive drugs. Seizures are one of the most frequent manifestations of posterior reversible encephalopathy syndrome; status epilepticus has been described more frequently in adults but rarely in children. We report on the case of a 6-year-old healthy boy who presented status epilepticus as the main manifestation of posterior reversible encephalopathy syndrome in the absence of other underlying conditions. This is the first report of posterior reversible encephalopathy syndrome in a previously healthy child. Our case reminds us that pathogenesis of this condition is far from being completely understood and may include both genetic and environmental factors. Moreover, posterior reversible encephalopathy syndrome should always be suspected by clinicians in cases of status epilepticus with a prolonged neurological failure.

Morbidity rates in late preterms born to HIV-mothers.

The rate of late preterm delivery has increased in the general population, and the late preterm infants have a higher incidence of morbidity compared to term newborns. Late preterm data are lacking in born to HIV-infected mother. We showed that, among 202 live births, late preterm delivery was higher in born to HIV-infected mothers than in the general population while their morbidity was lower.

Metabolic complications associated with antiretroviral therapy in HIV-infected and HIV-exposed uninfected paediatric patients.

IMPORTANCE OF THE FIELD: HIV-infection has become a chronic disease in paediatric patients with the potential for long-term survival and exposure to antiretroviral (ARV) therapies for 2 decades longer than HIV-infected adults. On the other hand, the administration of ARV to HIV-infected pregnant women has greatly increased both treatment of HIV infection and prevention of perinatal HIV transmission. Therefore, researches aiming to evaluate the safety of ARV therapies in HIV-infected children as well as in HIV-uninfected infants born to HIV-infected mothers are emerging as a new challenge and urgent priority. AREAS COVERED IN THIS REVIEW: The purpose of this review is to describe some of the more concerning metabolic complications associated with ARV in paediatric population: hyperlactataemia (HLA) syndromes, body shape abnormalities, disorders of glucose homeostasis and dyslipidaemia in HIV-infected children and adolescents. Frequency, risk factors, clinical findings, prevention and intervention strategies of the previously described abnormalities are discussed in depth. WHAT THE READER WILL GAIN: This review covers our current understanding of HLA syndromes in ARV-exposed uninfected infants born to HIV-infected mothers. TAKE HOME MESSAGE: Prevention of these metabolic complications should assume prominence and future researches should address several of the existing treatment gaps.

Long-term evaluation of glucose homeostasis in a cohort of HAART-treated HIV-infected children: a longitudinal, observational cohort study.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Few and mainly cross-sectional studies of glucose homeostasis are available in HIV-infected children treated with highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART). The aim of the present study was to describe a 4-year course of glucose homeostasis in a cohort of HAART-treated children and adolescents, using glucose and insulin levels during an oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT) as outcome measures. In addition, we investigated possible risk factors, both related and unrelated to antiretroviral therapy, associated with insulin resistance. METHODS: We assessed glucose metabolism yearly for 4 consecutive years in 37 HIV-infected children receiving a protease inhibitor (PI)-based HAART regimen containing lamivudine/stavudine plus indinavir or ritonavir or nelfinavir or a non-nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitor (NNRTI)-based HAART regimen containing lamivudine/tenofovir/efavirenz. Generalized estimating equations were used to evaluate the relationship between the loge-transformed area under the serum concentration-time curve (AUC) of insulin during OGTT and antiretroviral therapy, controlling for time, sex, baseline age, puberty, body mass index and CD4+ T cells percentage. RESULTS: Ritonavir-unboosted PI-based HAART regimens were administered to most children at baseline; however, their use decreased during follow-up in favour of an NNRTI-based regimen. The nelfinavir/lamivudine/stavudine (regression coefficient=-0.69, p<0.05) and efavirenz/lamivudine/tenofovir (regression coefficient=-0.93, p<0.05) regimens, but not the ritonavir/lamivudine/stavudine regimen, were negatively associated with loge-transformed insulin AUC compared with indinavir/lamivudine/stavudine. Puberty was positively associated with loge-transformed insulin AUC. CONCLUSIONS: This 4-year prospective study of HAART-treated HIV-infected children shows that: (i) the nelfinavir/lamivudine/stavudine and the efavirenz/lamivudine/tenofovir regimens but not the ritonavir/lamivudine/stavudine regimen were associated with higher insulin sensivity, i.e. lower insulin AUC, compared with indinavir/lamivudine/stavudine; (ii) the treatment switched substantially in favour of NNRTI from the third year on and this change was associated with an improvement in insulin sensitivity compared with the previous HAART-based regimens; and (iii) puberty is a primary determinant of insulin sensitivity.

Successful rescue therapy with a darunavir/ritonavir and etravirine antiretroviral regimen in a child with vertically acquired multidrug-resistant HIV-1.

An increasing prevalence of antiretroviral therapy (ART) resistance in ART-experienced and ART-naive pregnant women has been reported. Some studies suggest that antiretroviral drug-resistant viruses might have decreased replication capacity and transmissibility. However, cases of perinatal transmission of multidrug-resistant HIV type-1 (HIV-1) have been described. Here, we report the case of one child with vertically-acquired multidrug-resistant HIV-1 and the outcome of a rescue therapy with a darunavir/ritonavir- and etravirine-containing antiretroviral regimen. During the 15 months of therapy, the child showed clinical improvement, including no side effects, persistent suppression of viral replication and a great increase in CD4+ T-cell count. Paediatric HIV specialists should be prepared to manage a small, but increasing, number of babies with a 'nightmare' multidrug-resistant virus with no available treatment options. The use of experimental agents might become a compelling issue in vertically HIV-infected children born in the era of highly active ART.