Body Mass Index: a Prognosis Factor Among HIV Seropositive Malnourished Children

• Published in: Journal of tropical pediatrics (1980) 1997-10, Vol.43 (5), p.301-303
• Main Authors: Beau, J. P., Imboua-Coulibaly, L.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: AIDS/HIV; Anthropometry; Biological and medical sciences; Body Mass Index; Child Nutrition Disorders - etiology; Child Nutrition Disorders - mortality; Cote d'Ivoire; Female; HIV Seropositivity - complications; Humans; Immunodeficiencies; Immunodeficiencies. Immunoglobulinopathies; Immunopathology; Infant; Male; Medical sciences; Prognosis; Retrospective Studies; Tropical medicine
• ISSN: 0142-6338; 1465-3664
• DOI: 10.1093/tropej/43.5.301

In both adults and children, weight loss is one of the major complications of HIV infection and constitutes a factor of bad prognosis. Among children, anthropometry constitutes the most convenient method for assessing nutritional status and the aim of this study was to assess the prognosis value of various anthropometric indicators among seropositive malnourished children. This retrospective analysis was conducted on 101 children suffering from marasmus, monitored in 1994 at an infant home in Cote d'Ivoire. The percentage of seropositive children was 51 per cent and the mortality rate was significantly higher in this group (23 deaths out of 52 (44 per cent) for seropositive children, and five deaths out of 49(10 per cent) for seronegative ones; P < 0.001). Among the anthropometric indicators studied, only the body mass index (BMI) could be significantly related to the vital prognosis among seropositive children (deceased: BMI = 10.5 ± 1.1 kg/m2; living: BMI = 11.3 ± 1.2 kg/m2; P < 0.05). Determining this index in seropositive malnourished children could constitute an objective and quick method for assessing the prognosis in these children.