Bone mineral content in girls perinatally infected with HIV

Background: Early diagnostic efforts and advances in multidrug therapy have considerably prolonged the survival time of children infected perinatally with HIV. Despite these advances, few studies have addressed calcium status and bone growth in HIV-infected children. Objective: Our objective was to examine the effect of HIV infection on calc ium status and bone growth in children. Design: We measured calcitropic hormones, urinary calcium excretion, bone m ineral content, and body composition in 19 young girls aged 9.2 +/- 2.6 y ( range: 5.9-15.2 y) who were infected perinatally with HIV. Results: Serum c oncentrations of 1,25 -dihydroxyvitamin D [1,25(OH)(2)D] and parathyroid ho rmone concentrations were elevated above normal ranges in 25% and 12% of th ese girls, respectively Urinary calcium excretion normalized for creatinine excretion was also elevated (Ca/Cr >0.18) in 17% of these children despite suboptimal calcium intakes (679 +/- :437 mg/d). Total-body bone mineral co ntent, measured with the use of dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry, averaged 845.1 +/- 279.0 g and was on average 2.7 z scores below age- and race-match ed values reported in non-HIV-infected healthy girls. Significant positive correlations were found between an indirect marker of bone resorption in ur ine (N-telopeptide) and 1,25(OH)(2)D (P < 0.02, r(2) = 0.586, n = 9), and b etween serum N-telopeptide and total alkaline phosphatase (P < 0.001, r(2) = 0.541, n = 17), suggesting that calcium insufficiency may be increasing b one resorption in this group. Conclusions: Young girls with HIV infection had low bone mass and evidence of calcium insufficiency. Nutritional counseling of children with HIV infec tion should emphasize adequate calcium intakes because of the importance of this age period in bone mineral acquisition.