Abstract

There is a high prevalence rate of HIV in our environment. Malnutrition is also highly
prevalent especially among under –fives. These two conditions have far reaching
implications as they both affect children adversely.
The major aim of the study was to determine the effects of HIV infection on the
anthropometry of under-fives. Permission was obtained from research and ethical
committee of the Lagos University Teaching Hospital (LUTH). Permission was obtained
from research and ethical committee of the Lagos University Teaching Hospital (LUTH).
The subjects were recruited from children attending APIN clinic in LUTH. Permission
was obtained from research and ethical committee of the Lagos University Teaching
Hospital (LUTH). Written informed consents were obtained from parents and guardians of
children who participated in the study.
The information collected with the questionnaire included age of the child, parental
education / occupation, use and duration of antiretroviral drugs. A total of 846 children
(419 HIV infected and 427 HIV negative) children were studied. Data collected included
measurements of weights, heights, occipito-circumference and mid-upper arm
circumference of the study subjects. The results showed that HIV negative children
weighed more than HIV positive children at any age and the difference was significant
(p<0.5).
The HIV positive children were shorter than the HIV negative children with the difference
being significant at 48 months. The HIV positive children were significantly more wasted
than the HIV negative children and they never reached standard values. The HIV negative
children were also were also wasted up to 36 months, but thereafter improved above
standard. Wasting in HIV positive children was almost thrice that found in HIV negative
children, 18.6% and 6.6 % respectively and this statistically significant.
Occipital-frontal circumference was consistently low for the positive children. Both group
had mean upper arm circumference within normal values, but it was lower in the positive
children. Of the children studied 30.1% of HIV positive children and 18.0% of those that
are negative were underweight and the difference was statistically significant (p< 0.05).
Eighteen percent of the positive children and 8% of children were moderately/ severely
underweight (p< 0.5). The prevalence of stunting was 17.1% in HIV positive children
while it was 7.5.0% in HIV negative children and this was statistically significant.
The effects of socio economic class and use of ARV were found to be statistically
significant for weight (P=0.000). The difference between mother being the care giver and
other was statistically significant. The conclusion of the study was that HIV positive
children were more wasted and stunted than the HIV negative children. There is the need
for intensified care among HIV infected children as this would aid early detection of any
growth faltering and hence early intervention. Also educating the parents of this group of
children on the effects of this disease on the children will also go a long way in alleviating
this problem.

ANTHROPOMETRIC MEASUREMENTS IN HIV INFECTED CHILDREN AGED ONE TO FIVE YEARS IN LAGOS UNIVERSITY TEACHING HOSPITAL