SUMMARY
Paediatric HIV infection is still an alarming cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide.  Active HIV infection is an important cause of growth retardation in developing world. However, with ART more available worldwide, the consequences seem to be less devastating.

We conducted an observational study on the HIV positive ART naïve paediatric patients presenting to out-patient HIV clinic in rural Uganda in order to see the effect of ART on growth development. We took the biometrical measurements (weight and height) at the day of starting first-line ART and after 6 months of treatment. We calculated BMI, set the BMI percentile for age and sex and counted the Z-score.
In the group of 79 patients the average BMI increased by 1,14, average BMI percentile increased by 10,34 percentiles, and an average Z-score increased by 0,73. Out of 79 patients only 8 cases were reported with decreased or unchanged BMI, in all those cases other underlying conditions (such as tuberculosis coinfection, GIT side effects of ART, and extreme socioeconomic status) were uncovered.
Key words: paediatric HIV, growth retardation, ART, BMI, Z-score.

Lek Obz, 2020, 69 (11): 412-415

Barbora ŠILHÁROVÁ 1, Mária KOMLÓSI 2

1 St. Elizabeth University of Public Health and Social Work, John Paul II. HIV/AIDS Clinic, Buikwe District, Uganda
2 3rd Internal clinic of Medical Faculty of Comenius University and Bratislava University Hospital, Bratislava, Slovakia

Barbora ŠILHÁROVÁ, Mária KOMLÓSI: Art initiation in treatment naive HIV positive children in Uganda is associated with improved biometrical outcome within 6 months of treatment. Lek Obz, 2020, 69 (11): 412-415