Background Interim results from the CHER trial showed that early antiretroviral therapy (ART) was life-saving for HIV-infected infants. Given limited options and potential for toxicity with life-long ART, CHER compared early limited ART with deferred ART. Methods CHER was an open 3-arm trial in HIV-infected asymptomatic infants aged <12 weeks with CD4% ≥25%. Infants were randomized to deferred (ART-Def) or immediate ART for 40weeks (ART-40W) or 96weeks (ART-96W), followed by interruption. Criteria for ART initiation in ART-Def and re-initiation after interruption were CD4% <25% in infancy; otherwise <20% or CDC severe stage B or stage C disease. Lopinavir-ritonavir, zidovudine, lamivudine was the first-line regimen at ART initiation and re-initiation. The primary endpoint was time-to-failure of first-line ART (immunological/clinical/virological) or death. Comparisons were by intent-to-treat, using time-to-event methods. Findings 377 infants were enrolled: median age 7.4weeks; CD4% 35% and HIV RNA log 5.7copies/ml. Median follow-up was 4.8 years; 34 (9%) were lost-to-follow-up. Median time to ART initiation in ART-Def was 20 (IQR 16–25) weeks. Time to restarting ART after interruption was 33 (26–45) weeks in ART-40W and 70 (35–109) weeks in ART-96W; at trial end 19% and 32% respectively, remained off ART. Proportions of follow-up time spent on ART were 81%, 70% and 69% in ART-Def, ART-40W and ART-96W arms. 48/125(38%), 32/126(25%) and 26/126(21%) children reached the primary endpoint; hazard ratio (95%CI), relative to ART-Def, was 0.59(0.38-0.93, p=0.02) for ART-40W and 0.47(0.27-0.76, p=0.002) for ART-96W. Seven children (3 ART-Def, 3 ART-40W, 1 ART-96W) switched to second-line ART. Interpretation Early limited ART had superior clinical/immunological outcome with no evidence of excess disease progression during subsequent interruption and less overall ART exposure than deferred ART. Longer time on primary ART permits longer subsequent interruption with marginally better outcomes.

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ObjectiveTo describe the degree of HIV disease progression in infants initiating antiretroviral therapy (ART) by three months of age in a programmatic setting in South Africa.DesignThis was a programmatic cohort study.MethodsElectronic and manual data extraction from databases and antiretroviral registers in 20 public clinics in Cape Town and electronic data extraction from a large ART service at Chris Hani Baragwanath Hospital in Soweto were performed. Records of all infants initiated on ART by three months of age between June 2007 and September 2010 were extracted. Demographics, immunological and clinical stage at ART initiation were analyzed descriptively by chi-square, two-sample t-test and Kaplan–Meier methods.ResultsA total of 403 records were identified: 88 in Cape Town and 315 in Soweto. Median age at ART initiation was 8.4 [interquartile range (IQR): 7.2–9.7] weeks. At ART initiation, 250 infants (62%) had advanced HIV disease (CD4% <25% or absolute CD4<1500 cells/mm3 or WHO clinical Stage 3 or 4). Median age at ART initiation by site was 10.3 (IQR: 8.2–11.9) weeks in Cape Town and 8.6 (IQR: 7.7–10.0) weeks in Soweto infants (p<0.0001). In Cape Town, 73 infants (83%) had advanced HIV disease at ART initiation, compared to 177 infants (56%) in Soweto (p<0.0001). On logistic regression, each month increase in age at ART initiation lowered the odds of initiating ART in an optimal state (OR: 0.56, CI: 0.36–0.94) and increased the odds of advanced HIV disease at ART initiation (OR: 1.69, CI: 1.05–2.71).ConclusionsART initiation by three months of age may not adequately prevent disease progression. New emphasis on early diagnosis and rapid initiation of ART in the first weeks of life are essential to further reduce infant mortality.

BACKGROUND Data describing the true extent of antiretroviral therapy (ART)-induced dyslipidemia and insulin resistance in perinatally-infected children on ART in Africa is sparse. METHODS Fasting total cholesterol, LDL, HDL, triglycerides, insulin and glucose were performed on the first 100, of 190 pediatric ART clinic attendees. Diet assessment was performed by a trained dietician. Lipoatrophy was formally graded by consensus between two expert HIV pediatricians. Durations of previous ART exposures, clinical stage, pre-ART viral load, nadir and current CD4 were recorded. Dual energy X-ray Absorptiometry (DEXA) was performed on a subset of 42 patients selected semi-randomly. RESULTS Prevalences of insulin resistance, abnormal total cholesterol, LDL, HDL and triglyceride were 10%, 13%, 12%, 13 % and 9% respectively. Overall, 40% had at least one lipid abnormality or insulin resistance. Adjusted mean LDL cholesterol increased by 0.24mmol/L for each additional year of cumulative lopinavir/r exposure (p=0.03) after correcting for age, gender, body mass index, previous stavudine exposure, age at ART initiation, dietary fat and refined carbohydrate, while adjusted mean LDL cholesterol was 0.9mmol/L higher in children exposed to efavirenz within the previous six months (p=0.02). Adjusting for age, gender and ethnicity, DEXA revealed that greater trunk fat and lower peripheral subcutaneous fat were associated with elevated triglycerides but not with total cholesterol, LDL, HDL or HOMA. Similarly, the presence of visually obvious lipoatrophy was associated with elevated triglycerides but not with total cholesterol, LDL, HDL, HOMA or lactate. CONCLUSIONS Prevalences of insulin resistance and dyslipidemia were high. Cumulative lopinovir is an independent risk factor for dyslipidemia, with efavirenz exposure having only transitory effect.

Upper respiratory tract infection (URTI) occurs commonly in both children and adults and is a major cause of mild morbidity. It has a high cost to society, being responsible for absenteeism from school and work and unnecessary medical care, and is occasionally associated with serious sequelae. URTIs are usually caused by several families of virus; these are the rhinovirus, coronavirus, parainfluenza, respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), adenovirus, human metapneumovirus, influenza, enterovirus and the recently discovered bocavirus. This review will mainly focus on the rhinovirus, where significant advances have been made in understanding the epidemiology, natural history and relationship with other pathogens.

BACKGROUND The natural history and manifestation of HIV-related neurological disease have been ameliorated by combination antiretroviral therapy (ART). We describe the characteristics of white matter signal abnormalities (WMSA) on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in children with HIV-related neurological disease. METHODS We reviewed MRI scans of children with suspected HIV-related neurological disease despite early ART, and correlated with clinical, neurodevelopmental data, virological markers and time on ART. These children were also on the Children with HIV Early Antiretroviral (CHER) trial. RESULTS MRI scans were performed at a mean age 31.9 months (range 8-54) on 44 children: 10 on deferred and 34 on early treatment arms, commencing ART at mean age of 18.5 and 8 weeks respectively. Multiple high signal intensity lesions on T2 /FLAIR were documented in 22 patients (50%), predominantly in frontal (91%) and parietal (82%) white matter. No differences in neurodevelopmental scores comparing children with and without WMSA were found. Neither lesion load nor distribution showed significant correlation with neurodevelopmental scores or neurological examination. Normal head growth was more common in the WMSA group (p=0.01). There was a trend for association of WMSA and longer time on ART (p=0.13) and nadir CD4% (p=0.08). CONCLUSION Half of children referred with HIV-related brain disease had WMSA on T2/FLAIR. Our findings of the association with normal head growth and duration of ART require further study. We suspect that WMSA can occur early and that initiating ART by 8 weeks of life may be too late to prevent HIV from entering the CNS.

IPT is safe and well tolerated in HIV-infected children on concomitant ART. This study supports the need for a larger study to assess efficacy in HIV-infected children living in TB-endemic areas.

BackgroundDespite changes in WHO guidelines, stavudine is still used extensively for treatment of pediatric HIV in the developing world. Lipoatrophy in sub-Saharan African children can be stigmatizing and have far-reaching consequences. The severity and extent of lipoatrophy in pre-pubertal children living in sub-Saharan Africa is unknown.MethodsIn this cross-sectional study, children who were 3-12 years old, on antiretroviral therapy and pre-pubertal were recruited from a Family HIV Clinic in South Africa. Lipoatrophy was identified and graded by consensus between two HIV pediatricians using a standardized grading scale. A professional dietician performed formal dietary assessment and anthropometric measurements of trunk and limb fat. Previous antiretroviral exposures were recorded. In a Dual-Energy X-ray Absorbtiometry (DXA) substudy body composition was determined in 42 participants.ResultsAmong 100 recruits, the prevalence of visually obvious lipoatrophy was 36% (95% CI: 27%–45%). Anthropometry and DXA measurements corroborated the clinical diagnosis of lipoatrophy: Both confirmed significant, substantial extremity fat loss in children with visually obvious lipoatrophy, when adjusted for age and sex. Adjusted odds ratio for developing lipoatrophy was 1.9 (95% CI: 1.3 - 2.9) for each additional year of accumulated exposure to standard dose stavudine. Cumulative time on standard dose stavudine was significantly associated with reductions in biceps and triceps skin-fold thickness (p=0.008).ConclusionsThe prevalence of visually obvious lipoatrophy in pre-pubertal South African children on antiretroviral therapy is high. The amount of stavudine that children are exposed to needs review. Resources are needed to enable low-and-middle-income countries to provide suitable pediatric-formulated alternatives to stavudine-based pediatric regimens. The standard stavudine dose for children may need to be reduced. Diagnosis of lipoatrophy at an early stage is important to allow timeous antiretroviral switching to arrest progression and avoid stigmatization. Diagnosis using visual grading requires training and experience, and DXA and comprehensive anthropometry are not commonly available. A simple objective screening tool is needed to identify early lipoatrophy in resource-limited settings where specialized skills and equipment are not available.