The relationship between vitamin D status and HIV-related complications in HIV-infected children and young adults

Potential Advantages of a Well-balanced Nutrition Regimen for People Living with Human Immunodeficiency Virus Type -1

This review underscores the important role of nutrition in enhancing the management of Human Immunodeficiency Virus type 1 (HIV-1). Highlighting the efficacy of dietary interventions, including, the importance of omega-3 fatty acids, vitamins D and B-12, and the Mediterranean diet, we delineate how these beneficial nutritional strategies can improve the effectiveness of combined antiretroviral therapy (cART), mitigate its side effects, and ameliorate metabolic disorders in people living with HIV-1 (PLWH). Our review advocates for the integration and implementation of personalized nutritional assessments into the care plan for PLWH, proposing actionable strategies for healthcare providers in HIV-1 field. Summarizing the current standing of the relevance of the nutritional and well-planned diet recommended for the PLWH and emphasizing on the future research directions, this review establishes a foundation for nutrition as a cornerstone in comprehensive HIV-1 management. Our review aims to improve patients' health outcomes and overall quality of life for PLWH.

Vitamin D status and associated factors among HIV-infected children and adolescents on antiretroviral therapy in Kampala, Uganda

Background

A high prevalence of suboptimal serum vitamin D has been reported among HIV infected children even in countries with high sunshine abundance throughout the year. Vitamin D is a potent immune modulator of innate and adaptive immune responses. Vitamin D regulates immune responses through the vitamin D receptor on CD4 cells. We aimed to determine the vitamin D status of HIV infected children and factors associated with suboptimal vitamin D.

Methods

This was a cross sectional study. We enrolled children aged between 6 months and 12 years attending an outpatient paediatric HIV clinic. Serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25(OH)D) was measured using the electrochemoluminisence method. Suboptimal vitamin D was defined as 25(OH)D <30 ng/ml, vitamin D insufficiency and deficiency were 21–29 ng/ml and <20 ng/ml respectively. Anthropometry, physical exam and medical history were documented. Logistic regression was performed.

Results

We enrolled 376 children with mean age (sd) 8.05 years (3.03), a median (IQR) duration of ART of 5.9 years (3.2–8.4). Majority of the children (64%) had been exposed to non nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors (NNRTIs). A third were severely immunosuppressed (CD4% ≤15%) at ART initiation. At the time of the study, the majority (89%) were virologically suppressed (VL <1000 copies/ml). Prevalence of 25(OH)D <30 ng/ml was 49 (13%) of 375 participants and 11 (3%) had 25(OH)D <20 ng/ml. Lopinavir/ritonavir regimen was independently associated with 25(OH)D <30 ng/ml; OR 0.27 CI (0.13–0.57), p value-0.002. Serum 25(OH)D <20 ng/ml was associated with CD4 count ≤15% at ART initiation OR 6.55(1.30–32.9), p value—0.023 and use of NNRTIs; OR 10.9(1.22–96.2), p value—0.03.

Conclusion

We found a low prevalence of suboptimal vitamin D compared to earlier reports. Severe immunosuppression at ART initiation and use of NNRTIs increases odds of deficiency. Vitamin D supplementation should be considered in severely immunosuppressed children initiating ART.

Adiponectin, Leptin and Inflammatory Markers in HIV-associated Metabolic Syndrome in Children and Adolescents

BACKGROUND

Metabolic syndrome (MetS) is more common in HIV-infected adults and children than in the general population. Adipocytokines and inflammatory markers may contribute to the pathophysiology of this condition and could be useful indices for monitoring MetS. The objective of this study was to provide information on the prevalence of MetS and investigate the role of adipocytokines and other biomarkers in this syndrome in HIV-infected pediatric patients.

METHODS

A cross-sectional study was conducted between October 2013 and March 2014 in the outpatient clinics of 2 tertiary pediatric referral hospitals. Fifty-four HIV-infected children and adolescents were included. MetS was defined according to the International Diabetes Federation and modified National Cholesterol Education Program Adult Treatment Panel III criteria. Measurements included anthropometry, waist circumference, blood pressure, fasting lipids, glucose and insulin, adiponectin, leptin, interleukin-6, vitamin D and C-reactive protein and clinical lipodystrophy assessment.

RESULTS

Among the total, 3.7% of patients met the International Diabetes Federation criteria for MetS and 7.4% met the National Cholesterol Education Program Adult Treatment Panel III criteria. C-reactive protein and leptin levels were significantly higher and adiponectin level significantly lower in patients with MetS, regardless of the criteria used. Insulin resistance was observed in 40.7% of patients; abnormal quantitative insulin sensitivity check index values were found in 88.9%. Eighteen patients (33.3%) had vitamin D deficiency.

CONCLUSIONS

The prevalence of MetS was similar to that observed in larger cohorts of HIV-infected patients in our setting. Adipocytokine dysregulation seems to be related to MetS in HIV-infected children. A high percentage of patients showed insulin resistance, which should be strictly monitored.

Effect of high-dose cholecalciferol (vitamin D3) on bone and body composition in children and young adults with HIV infection: a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial

It is unknown whether vitamin D supplementation positively impacts body composition and bone outcomes in children and young adults with HIV. This RCT found that despite increasing 25(OH)D concentrations, high dose vitamin D₃ supplementation did not impact bone or body composition in children and young adults with HIV infection.

INTRODUCTION

The objective of this paper was to determine the impact of high-dose daily cholecalciferol (vitamin D₃) supplementation on body composition and bone density, structure, and strength in children and young adults with perinatally acquired (PHIV) or behaviorally acquired (BHIV) HIV infection.

METHODS

Participants were randomized to receive vitamin D₃ supplementation (7000 IU/day) or placebo for 12 months. Serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D [25(OH)D] concentrations, dual energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) of the whole body and lumbar spine, and peripheral quantitative computed tomography (pQCT) of tibia sites were acquired at 0, 6, and 12 months. DXA and pQCT outcomes were expressed as sex- and population-ancestry specific Z-scores relative to age and adjusted for height or tibia length, as appropriate.

RESULTS

Fifty-eight participants (5.0 to 24.9 years) received vitamin D₃ supplements (n = 30) or placebo (n = 28). At enrollment, groups were similar in age, sex, population ancestry, growth status, serum 25(OH)D concentrations, body composition, and size-adjusted bone measures. Median 25(OH)D concentrations were similar (17.3 ng/mL in the vitamin D₃ supplementation group vs 15.6 ng/mL in the placebo group), and both groups had mild bone deficits. At 12 months, 25(OH)D rose significantly in the vitamin D supplementation group but not in the placebo group (26.4 vs 14.8 ng/mL, respectively, p < 0.008). After adjusting for population ancestry, sex, antiretroviral therapy use, and season, there were no significant treatment group differences in bone or body composition outcomes.

CONCLUSIONS

Despite increasing 25(OH)D concentrations, 12 months of high-dose vitamin D₃ supplementation did not impact bone or body composition in children and young adults with HIV infection.

Bone health in HIV-infected children and adolescents

PURPOSE OF REVIEW

Chronic HIV infection and exposure to antiretroviral therapy compromises bone health in children and adolescents, potentially impacting their long-term quality of life. Thus, the purpose of this article is to review the most recent literature on this topic in HIV-infected children and adolescents.

RECENT FINDINGS

Recent studies continue to demonstrate bone abnormalities in HIV-infected children and adolescents, whether HIV is acquired perinatally or during adolescence. Researchers have employed new modalities, both high tech and those that can be utilized in resource-limited settings, to better assess bone health. New data suggest that this population may also be experiencing an increase incidence of fractures, and they may not acquire the same peak bone mass as their HIV-uninfected counterparts. Reassuringly, however, in-utero tenofovir exposure does not appear to have a significant impact on bone health in HIV-exposed, uninfected infants.

SUMMARY

HIV-infected children and adolescents are exposed to HIV and antiretroviral therapy for many decades starting early in life and during the most critical time for skeletal growth and bone mass accrual. Recent findings underscore the need for further research on bone in this population. Longitudinal studies are especially needed to evaluate long-term risk of osteoporosis and fracture.

The effects of vitamin D, K and calcium co-supplementation on carotid intima-media thickness and metabolic status in overweight type 2 diabetic patients with CHD

This study was conducted to examine the effects of vitamin D, K and Ca co-supplementation on carotid intima-media thickness (CIMT) and metabolic status in overweight diabetic patients with CHD. This randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial was conducted among sixty-six diabetic patients with CHD. Participants were randomly allocated into two groups to take either 5µg vitamin D, 90 µg vitamin K plus 500 mg Ca supplements (n 33) or placebo (n 33) twice a day for 12 weeks. Fasting blood samples were obtained at the beginning of the study and after the 12-week intervention period to determine related markers. Vitamin D, K and Ca co-supplementation resulted in a significant reduction in maximum levels of left CIMT (−0·04 (sd 0·22) v. +0·04 (sd 0·09) mm, P=0·02). Changes in serum vitamin D (+6·5 (sd 7·8) v. +0·4 (sd 2·2) ng/ml, P<0·001), Ca (+0·6 (sd 0·3) v. +0·1 (sd 0·1) mg/dl, P<0·001) and insulin concentrations (−0·9 (sd 3·1) v. +2·6 (sd 7·2) µIU/ml, P=0·01), homoeostasis model for assessment of estimated insulin resistance (−0·4 (sd 1·2) v. +0·7 (sd 2·3), P=0·01), β-cell function (−2·1 (sd 9·0) v. +8·9 (sd 23·7), P=0·01) and quantitative insulin sensitivity check index (+0·007 (sd 0·01) v. −0·006 (sd 0·02), P=0·01) in supplemented patients were significantly different from those in patients in the placebo group. Supplementation resulted in significant changes in HDL-cholesterol (+2·7 (sd 7·0) v. −2·5 (sd 5·7) mg/dl, P=0·002), high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (−1320·1 (sd 3758·3) v. +464·0 (sd 3053·3) ng/ml, P=0·03) and plasma malondialdehyde concentrations (−0·4 (sd 0·5) v. −1·0 (sd 1·1) µmol/l, P=0·007) compared with placebo. Overall, vitamin D, K and Ca co-supplementation for 12 weeks among diabetic patients with CHD had beneficial effects on maximum levels of left CIMT and metabolic status. The effect of vitamin D, K and Ca co-supplementation on maximum levels of left CIMT could be a chance finding.

Hypovitaminosis D and hyperparathyroidism: effects on bone turnover and bone mineral density among perinatally HIV-infected adolescents

OBJECTIVES

The impact of hypovitaminosis D and secondary hyperparathyroidism on bone mineral density (BMD) in the setting of pediatric HIV infection remains unclear. This study aimed to determine the prevalence of hypovitaminosis D and hyperparathyroidism and their effects on bone turnover and BMD among HIV-infected adolescents in Southeast Asia.

DESIGN

A multicenter, cross-sectional study evaluating bone health and vitamin D metabolism in HIV-infected adolescents in Thailand and Indonesia.

METHODS

Perinatally HIV-infected adolescents aged 10-18 years on antiretroviral therapy with virologic suppression were enrolled. Serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D, intact parathyroid hormone, and bone turnover markers (C-terminal cross-linked telopeptide of type I collagen and procollagen type I amino-terminal propeptide) were assessed; serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D less than 20 ng/ml and intact parathyroid hormone more than 65 pg/ml were defined as hypovitaminosis D and hyperparathyroidism, respectively. Lumbar spine (L2-L4) BMD Z-score -2 or less was defined as low BMD.

RESULTS

Of 394 adolescents, 57% were women. The median age [interquartile range (IQR)] was 15.0 (13.3-16.9) years. The prevalence of hypovitaminosis D, hyperparathyroidism, and both conditions were 21% [95% confidence interval (CI): 17-25%], 17% (95% CI: 13-20%), and 5% (95% CI: 3-7%), respectively. Adolescents with hypovitaminosis D and secondary hyperparathyroidism had the highest median bone resorption (C-terminal cross-linked telopeptide of type I collagen: 1610 vs. 1270 ng/l; P = 0.04) and bone formation (procollagen type I amino-terminal propeptide: 572 vs. 330 μg/l; P = 0.02) markers, and the greatest proportion of low BMD (42 vs. 15%; P = 0.01) compared with the rest of the cohort.

CONCLUSION

Hypovitaminosis D complicated with secondary hyperparathyroidism was associated with increased bone turnover and bone loss. Early treatment of hypovitaminosis D before hyperparathyroidism occurs may be important to prevent bone mass deterioration.

Impaired bone mineral accrual in prepubertal HIV-infected children: a cohort study

OBJECTIVE

To evaluate bone mass accrual and determine the influence of clinical, anthropometric, dietary and biochemical parameters on bone mass.

METHODS

A cohort study including 35 prepubertal HIV-infected children, between 7 and 12 years, attended at a referral center. At time 1 (T1) and time 2 (T2), patients were assessed according to clinical, anthropometric, dietary, biochemical parameters and bone mineral density (BMD). At T2, patients were divided into prepubertal and pubertal.

RESULTS

Despite the increase in bone mass absolute values, there was no improvement in lumbar spine BMD (LSBMD) Z-score (p=0.512) and worsening in total body BMD (TBMD) Z-score (p=0.040). Pubertal patients (n=19) showed higher bone mineral content (BMC) (p=0.001), TBMD (p=0.006) and LSBMD (p=0.002) compared to prepubertal patients. After multivariate linear regression analysis, the predictors of bone mass in T1 were age, BMI and HA Z-scores for BMC; BMI Z-score, adequate serum magnesium concentration and dietary calcium intake for TBMD; adequate serum concentration of magnesium, BMI and HA Z-scores for LSBMD. In T2, age, total body fat and lean body mass (kg) for BMC; BMI Z-score and puberty for TBMD; dietary fat intake, BMI Z-score for BMD and puberty for LSBMD.

CONCLUSION

HIV-infected children have compromised bone mass and the presence of puberty seems to provide suitability of these parameters. Adequate intake of calcium and fat appears to be protective for proper bone mass accumulation factor, as well as monitoring nutritional status and serum magnesium concentration.

Metabolic and renal adverse effects of antiretroviral therapy in HIV-infected children and adolescents

Worldwide, the benefits of combined antiretroviral (ARV) therapy in morbidity and mortality due to perinatally acquired human immunodeficiency virus infection are beyond question and outweigh the toxicity these drugs have been associated with in HIV-infected children and adolescents to date. In puberty, abnormal body fat distribution is stigmatizating and leads to low adherence to ARV treatment. The other metabolic comorbidities (mitochondrial toxicity, dyslipidemias, insulin resistance and low bone mineral density) and renal toxicity, albeit nonsymptomatic in most children, are increasingly being reported and potentially put this population at risk for early cardiovascular or cerebrovascular atherosclerotic disease, diabetes, pathologic fractures or premature renal failure in the third and fourth decades of life. Evidence from available studies is limited because of methodological limitations and also because of several HIV-unrelated factors influencing, to some degree, the development of these conditions. Current recommendations for the prevention, diagnosis, monitoring and treatment of metabolic and renal adverse effects in HIV-children and adolescents are based on adult studies, observational pediatric studies and experts' consensus. Healthy lifestyle habits (regarding diet, exercise and refraining from toxic substances) and wise use of ARV options are the only preventive tools for the majority of patients. Should abnormal findings arise, switches in one or more ARV drugs have proved useful. Specific therapies are also available for some of these comorbidities, although the experience in the pediatric age is still very scarce. We aim to summarize the epidemiological, clinical and therapeutic aspects of metabolic and renal adverse effects in vertically HIV-infected children and adolescents.

Endocrinopathies in children infected with human immunodeficiency virus

Endocrine changes (including adrenal insufficiency, disorders of growth and puberty, thyroid dysfunction, metabolic abnormalities and osteopenia) accompany human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection in pediatric patients. The cause of these changes is multifactorial and includes direct viral effects of HIV, and effects of antiretroviral therapy. These effects may be of particular importance in childhood given the critical developmental processes that occur during this time period and the likelihood of prolonged exposure to the virus and medications.

Metabolic complications and treatment of perinatally HIV-infected children and adolescents

The benefits of long-term antiretroviral therapy (ART) are recognized all over the world with infected children maturing into adults and HIV infection becoming a chronic illness. However, the improved survival is associated with serious metabolic complications, including lipodystrophy (LD), dyslipidemia, insulin resistance, lactic acidosis and bone loss. In addition, the dyslipidemia mainly seen with protease inhibitors may increase the risk of cardiovascular disease in adulthood and potentially in children as they mature into adults. Nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors, particularly stavudine, zidovudine and didanosine are linked to development of LD and lactic acidosis. Perinatally infected children initiate ART early in life; they require lifelong therapy with multiple drug regimens leading to varying toxicities, all potentially impacting their quality of life. LD has a significant impact on the mental health of older children and adolescents leading to poor self-image, depression and subsequent poor adherence to therapy. Reduced bone mineral density (BMD) is reported in both adults and children on ART with the potential for children to develop more serious bone complications than adults due to their rapid growth spurts and puberty. The role of vitamin D in HIV-associated osteopenia and osteoporosis is not clear and needs further study. Most resource-limited settings are unable to monitor lipid profiles or BMD, exposing infected children and adolescents to on-going toxicities with unclear long-term consequences. Improved interventions are urgently needed to prevent and manage these metabolic complications. Longitudinal cohort studies in this area should remain a priority, particularly in resource-limited settings where the majority of infected children reside.