Department of Community and Global Health, Graduate School of Medicine, The University of Tokyo, 7-3-1 Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-0033, Japan.
Nutr J. 2012 Aug 29;11:60. doi: 10.1186/1475-2891-11-60.
HIV/AIDS is associated with an increased burden of undernutrition among children even under antiretroviral therapy (ART). To treat undernutrition, WHO endorsed the use of Ready to Use Therapeutic Foods (RUTF) that can reduce case fatality and undernutrition among ART-naïve HIV-positive children. However, its effects are not studied among ART-treated, HIV-positive children. Therefore, we examined the association between RUTF use with underweight, wasting, and stunting statuses among ART-treated HIV-positive children in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania.
This cross-sectional study was conducted from September-October 2010. The target population was 219 ART-treated, HIV-positive children and the same number of their caregivers. We used questionnaires to measure socio-economic factors, food security, RUTF-use, and ART-duration. Our outcome variables were underweight, wasting, and stunting statuses.
Of 219 ART-treated, HIV-positive children, 140 (63.9%) had received RUTF intervention prior to the interview. The percentages of underweight and wasting among non-RUTF-receivers were 12.4% and 16.5%; whereas those of RUTF-receivers were 3.0% (P = 0.006) and 2.8% (P = 0.001), respectively. RUTF-receivers were less likely to have underweight (Adjusted Odd Ratio (AOR) =0.19, CI: 0.04, 0.78), and wasting (AOR = 0.24, CI: 0.07, 0.81), compared to non RUTF-receivers. Among RUTF receivers, children treated for at least four months (n = 84) were less likely to have underweight (P = 0.049), wasting (P = 0.049) and stunting (P < 0.001).
Among HIV-positive children under ART, the provision of RUTF for at least four months was associated with low proportions of undernutrition status. RUTF has a potential to improve undernutrition among HIV-positive children under ART in the clinical settings in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania.
艾滋病毒/艾滋病会使接受抗逆转录病毒疗法（ART）的儿童营养不良负担加重。为了治疗营养不良，世界卫生组织（WHO）批准使用即食治疗食品（RUTF），这可以降低初治艾滋病毒阳性儿童的病死率和营养不良率。然而，其效果尚未在接受 ART 治疗的艾滋病毒阳性儿童中进行研究。因此，我们研究了坦桑尼亚达累斯萨拉姆接受 ART 治疗的艾滋病毒阳性儿童中 RUTF 使用与体重不足、消瘦和发育迟缓状况之间的关系。
这是一项横断面研究，于 2010 年 9 月至 10 月进行。目标人群是 219 名接受 ART 治疗的艾滋病毒阳性儿童及其数量相同的照顾者。我们使用问卷来测量社会经济因素、粮食安全、RUTF 使用情况和 ART 持续时间。我们的结局变量是体重不足、消瘦和发育迟缓状况。
在 219 名接受 ART 治疗的艾滋病毒阳性儿童中，有 140 名（63.9%）在接受访谈前接受过 RUTF 干预。未接受 RUTF 治疗的儿童中体重不足和消瘦的比例分别为 12.4%和 16.5%；而接受 RUTF 治疗的儿童体重不足和消瘦的比例分别为 3.0%（P=0.006）和 2.8%（P=0.001）。与未接受 RUTF 治疗的儿童相比，接受 RUTF 治疗的儿童体重不足（校正优势比（AOR）=0.19，CI：0.04，0.78）和消瘦（AOR=0.24，CI：0.07，0.81）的可能性较低。在接受 RUTF 治疗的儿童中，至少接受四个月治疗的儿童（n=84）体重不足（P=0.049）、消瘦（P=0.049）和发育迟缓（P＜0.001）的比例较低。
在接受 ART 治疗的艾滋病毒阳性儿童中，至少提供四个月的 RUTF 与较低的营养不良比例有关。RUTF 有可能改善坦桑尼亚达累斯萨拉姆临床环境中接受 ART 治疗的艾滋病毒阳性儿童的营养不良状况。
