Clinical Characteristics and Lung Function in Older Children Vertically Infected With Human Immunodeficiency Virus in Malawi.

Mwalukomo, Thandie, Rylance, Sarah, Webb, Emily L, Anderson, Suzanne, O'Hare, Bernadette, van Oosterhout, Joep J, Ferrand, Rashida A, Corbett, Elizabeth L and Rylance, Jamie ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2323-3611 (2015) 'Clinical Characteristics and Lung Function in Older Children Vertically Infected With Human Immunodeficiency Virus in Malawi.'. Journal of the Pediatric Infectious Diseases Society, Vol 5, Issue 2, pp. 161-169.

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Abstract

BACKGROUND
Antiretroviral therapy (ART) has led to increased survival of children with vertically acquired human immunodeficiency virus infection. Significant morbidity arises from respiratory symptoms, but aetiology and pulmonary function abnormalities have not been systematically studied.

METHODS
Human immunodeficiency virus-positive children aged 8-16 years were systematically recruited within clinics in Blantyre, Malawi. Clinical review, quality of life assessment, spirometry, and chest radiography were performed.

RESULTS
One hundred sixty participants had a mean of age 11.1 (range, 8-16) years and 50.0% were female. Cough was present in 60 (37.5%) participants, and 55 (34.4%) had moderate or severe dyspnoea. Thirty-four (22.1%) participants had digital clubbing. Thirty-three (20.6%) participants were hypoxic at rest. One hundred eighteen (73.8%) of the children were receiving ART; median CD4 count was 698 cells/µL in these compared with 406 cells/µL in ART-naive individuals (P < .001). From 145 spirometry traces (90.6%), mean forced expiratory volume in 1 second (FEV1) and forced vital capacity (FVC) were 1.06 and 0.89 standard deviations below predicted mean, respectively. Twenty-one (14.5%) traces demonstrated obstructive defects and 26 (17.9%) reduced FVC. Lung function abnormality was not associated with any clinical findings. Of the 51 individuals with abnormal lung function, the mean increase in FEV1 after salbutamol was 3.8% (95% confidence interval, 0.02-7.53). "Tramlines" and ring shadows were seen on chest radiographs in over half of cases.

CONCLUSIONS
Symptoms of chronic lung disease were highly prevalent with 2 main clinical phenotypes: "cough" and "hypoxia". Lung function abnormalities are common, poorly responsive to bronchodilators, and apparent throughout the age range of our cohort. Pathological causes remain to be elucidated. Cough and hypoxic phenotypes could be a useful part of diagnostic algorithms if further validated.

Item Type:	Article
Subjects:	WC Communicable Diseases > Virus Diseases > Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome. HIV Infections > WC 503 Acquired immunodeficiency syndrome. HIV infections WC Communicable Diseases > Virus Diseases > Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome. HIV Infections > WC 503.2 Therapy WF Respiratory System > Lungs > WF 600 Lungs WS Pediatrics > By Age Groups > WS 460 Adolescence (General)
Faculty: Department:	Clinical Sciences & International Health > Clinical Sciences Department Clinical Sciences & International Health > International Public Health Department
Digital Object Identifer (DOI):	https://doi.org/10.1093/jpids/piv045
Depositing User:	Tracy Seddon
Date Deposited:	18 Feb 2016 12:27
Last Modified:	13 Mar 2020 16:19
URI:	https://archive.lstmed.ac.uk/id/eprint/5666

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