Patterns of linear growth among children and adolescents living with HIV on antiretroviral therapy in Zimbabwe and Zambia.

BACKGROUND: Adolescents with HIV (AWH) frequently exhibit impaired growth, which manifests as stunting and wasting. We studied trajectories in leg-length (appendicular), sitting (axial), and standing height among AWH on antiretroviral therapy (ART), determining peak height velocity (PHV) and age at PHV (aPHV). METHODS: Analyses used VITALITY trial data from Zimbabwe and Zambia (PACTR20200989766029), which recruited AWH (11-19 years) established on ART to determine whether vitamin D3/calcium supplementation improves bone health. The study enrolled participants between January and December 2021. Weight-for-age and height-for-age z-scores (WAZ/HAZ) were calculated from 12-weekly anthropometry over 96 weeks. Height trajectory analyses used SuperImposition by Translation And Rotation (SITAR) methods adjusting for height, tempo (aPHV) and velocity. Linear associations between vitamin D/calcium supplementation, HIV-specific factors, WAZ, HAZ, and SITAR parameters were determined. RESULTS: Overall, 842 participants (53·2% female; median age 15·5 [IQR:13·2-17·9] years), were taking ART for median 9·8(IQR:6·3-12·3) years. Mean(SD) HAZ was 1·21(1·05) in females, -1·68(1·05) in males. Overall, 251(29·8%) AWH were stunted (HAZ < -2) and 253(30%) wasted (WAZ < -2). Standing, appendicular and axial aPHVs were: Female 13·4, 13·3, 13·9 years; Males 15·3, 15·0, 15·8 years. Unsuppressed viral-load(VL) and delayed ART initiation (age > 4-years) were associated with later aPHV and shorter axial height in females. In all, unsuppressed VL had a more negative effect on aPHV for axial (Females: β = 0·39 years [95%CI:0·12,0·65]; Males: β = 0·45 [95%CI:0·10,0·80]) than appendicular growth (Females: β = 0.31 [95%CI 0·08,0·53]; Males: β = 0·2 [95%CI:-0·17,0·56]). Conversely, delayed ART initiation was more negatively related to aPHV for appendicular (Females: β = 0·25 [95% CI:0·08,0·43]; Males: β = 0·63 [95%CI:0·32, 0·93] than axial growth (Females: β = 0·13 [95%CI:-0·08,0·34]; Males: β = 0·56 [95%CI:0·28,0·86]. Lower HAZ and WAZ were associated with lower height, later aPHV and lower PHV. At 48-week vitamin-D3/calcium supplementation had no effect on the growth pattern. CONCLUSION: Unsuppressed viral load and delayed ART-initiation predicted later aPHV. Stunting and wasting were associated with attenuated growth velocity and later aPHV. Adolescents with HIV experience persistent linear growth impairments, potentially persisting into adulthood. TRIAL REGISTRATION: (PACTR20200989766029|| http://www.pactr.org/ ); First registered on 03/09/2020.