Effect of early chemoprophylaxis with co-trimoxazole on nutritional statusevolution in HIV-1-infected adults in Abidjan, Cote d'Ivoire

Background: In sub-Saharan Africa, malnutrition is a major complication of HIV disease. Measuring accurately the nutritional benefits of a therapeutic intervention could be an easy-to-monitor secondary outcome. Methods: Anthropometric data were analysed from patients participating in a placebo-controlled trial of co-trimoxazole prophylaxis in adults recruited at early stages of HIV-1 infection in Cote d'Ivoire (COTRIMO-CI ANRS 059 t rial). Body mass index (BMI), arm muscle circumference (AMC) and percentage of fat mass (FM) were measured at baseline and quarterly during the follow up. Percentage of Variation from the baseline value was compared between t reatment groups and within the groups using Student t-test. Results: An improvement of all anthropometric indicators was observed in th e first 3 months of follow up in both treatment groups, significant in the co-trimoxazole group (P less than or equal to 0.0006) but not in the placeb o group(P greater than or equal to 0.06). In the co-trimoxazole group, this improvement was maintained for up to 24 months for BMI (P = 0.007), 21 mon ths for AMC (P = 0.02) and only up to 12 months for FM (P = 0.04). The plac ebo group had a stable anthropometric status up to the end of the trial. Di fferences between treatment groups were significant for up to 15 months for BMI and AMC and 12 months for FM. Conclusion: As co-trimoxazole prophylaxis is now recommended in Africa as p art of a minimum package of care for HIV-infected symptomatic subjects, the short-term improvement of these anthropometric indicators in adults who st art co-trimoxazole prophylaxis should be considered as an effective clinica l outcome. (C) 2001 Lippincott Williams & Wilkins.