Is malabsorption an important cause of growth failure in HIV-infected children?

Sixty percent of HIV-infected children malabsorbed carbohydrate (lactose or D-xylose). Surprisingly, however, carbohydrate malabsorption was not predictive of growth failure. Although HIV infection, in the absence of detectable enteric infection, may result in small intestinal injury, additional factors may also be responsible for growth failure in HIV-infected children.