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Biomedical subjects

Caroline J Chantry

Publications and source records attributed to Caroline J Chantry.

12 recordsLinked to original sources

Micronutrient status during lactation in HIV-infected and HIV-uninfected South African women during the first 6 mo after delivery.

BACKGROUND: Little information on the micronutrient status of HIV-infected (HIV-positive) breastfeeding women is available. OBJECTIVE: The objective was to compare the protein and micronutrient status of South African breastfeeding women by HIV status. DESIGN: Serum albumin, prealbumin, vitamin B-12, folate, retinol, alpha-tocopherol, hemoglobin, ferritin, and zinc concentrations were compared between 92 HIV-positive and 52 HIV-uninfected (HIV-negative) mothers 6, 14, and 24 wk after delivery. C-reactive protein and alpha1-acid glycoprotein were used as proxy indicators of an inflammatory process. RESULTS: Mean albumin and prealbumin were significantly lower in HIV-positive mothers, and a higher proportion of HIV-positive mothers had low albumin concentrations (< 35 g/L). Less than 45% of the mothers were vitamin B-12 or folate sufficient. Significantly more HIV-positive (70.5%) than HIV-negative (46.2%) mothers had marginal vitamin B-12 status (P < 0.05), and mean folate concentrations were lower in HIV-positive mothers (P = 0.05). Mean serum retinol was significantly lower in HIV-positive mothers, even after control for the acute phase response. At 24 wk, 70% of both groups had an alpha-tocopherol deficiency (< 11.6 micromol/L), but no significant difference by HIV status was observed. More HIV-positive (33.3%) than HIV-negative (8.7%) mothers had anemia (P = 0.018), whereas 25% of all mothers had low serum ferritin concentrations. After the acute phase response was controlled for, zinc deficiency was more common in HIV-positive (45.0%) than in HIV-negative (25.0%) mothers (P = 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Deficiencies in vitamins B-12, folate, alpha-tocopherol, ferritin, and zinc are common in South African breastfeeding mothers. HIV-positive mothers had lower mean serum concentrations of albumin, prealbumin, folate, retinol, and hemoglobin than did HIV-negative mothers.

Acute-Phase Reaction↗

Endocrine abnormalities and impaired growth in human immunodeficiency virus-infected children.

OBJECTIVES: Identify endocrine differences between human immunodeficiency virus- (HIV) infected versus uninfected children and evaluate associations of growth and body composition with endocrine measures. STUDY DESIGN: Nested case-control study in 21 HIV-infected and 46 age- and sex-matched uninfected children in the Women and Infant Transmission Study. Plasma specimens from children between 2.5 to 7.0 years of age, taken during 3-4 visits, were tested for insulin-like growth factor binding protein-3 (IGFBP-3), cortisol, dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA), growth hormone and thyroid studies. Longitudinal mixed and generalized estimating equation models compared group means and examined effects of endocrine measures on growth and body composition, respectively. RESULTS: HIV-infected children had lower IGFBP-3 than uninfected children (1.96 +/- 0.09 mg/L versus 2.34 +/- 0.06 mg/L, P < 0.001). In infected but not in uninfected children, IGFBP-3 values and DHEA:cortisol ratios were associated with weight- and body mass index-for-age z scores ([WAZ] P = 0.019, <.001 respectively, and [BMZ] P = 0.029, 0.038). DHEA concentration was associated with height-for-age z score (P = 0.049). CONCLUSIONS: In these HIV-infected children compared with their uninfected counterparts, IGFBP-3 concentration was different between groups. Infected children had multiple endocrine associations with growth and body composition not found in their uninfected peers. We hypothesize that in HIV-infected children, growth hormone resistance and shunting of precursors from adrenal androgen to cortisol production contributes to altered body composition and stunting.

Body Height↗

Body composition changes during lactation in HIV-infected and HIV-uninfected South African women.

BACKGROUND: The nutritional consequences of HIV infection in lactating women are unknown. OBJECTIVE: To measure the body composition of South African lactating women in relation to HIV status. METHODS: Fat-free mass (FFM) and fat mass (FM) using bioimpedance spectrometry (BIS) and anthropometric measurements were obtained at 8 and 24 weeks postpartum in 92 HIV-infected (HIVpos) and 50 HIV-uninfected (HIVneg) lactating mothers. RESULTS: At 8 weeks, HIVpos and HIVneg mothers were not significantly different in height (159.7 vs. 158.9 cm), weight (62.7 vs. 63.9 kg), body mass index (BMI; 24.6 vs. 25.3 kg/m), FFM (40.7 vs. 42.8 kg), or FM (21.6 vs. 22.0 kg), respectively. In HIVpos women, the median CD4 count was 621 (range: 101-1585) cells/muL; 95% had CD4 counts >200 cells/muL. Between 8 and 24 weeks, HIVpos mothers had a mean weight loss of 1.4 kg in contrast to a 0.4-kg weight gain in HIVneg mothers (P < 0.01). There were no significant group differences with regard to change in FFM (0.3 vs. 0.1 kg; P = 0.9) and FM (-1.5 vs. -0.3 kg; P = 0.2). CONCLUSION: HIVpos South African breast-feeding mothers without severe immune suppression lost weight and subcutaneous fat between 8 and 24 weeks postpartum, whereas HIVneg mothers gained weight. FFM was maintained postpartum in HIVpos and HIVneg mothers.

Adolescent↗

Acceptability of heat treating breast milk to prevent mother-to-child transmission of human immunodeficiency virus in Zimbabwe: a qualitative study.

Although heat treatment of human milk is an official infant-feeding recommendation for human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-positive mothers in Zimbabwe, its implementation has not been adequately addressed, because knowledge about the safety of this method is rudimentary and its acceptability is poorly understood. To address this knowledge gap, the authors conducted focus group discussions among mothers, grandmothers, midwives, and husbands in various regions of Zimbabwe. Although the practice of heat treating expressed human milk was initially met with skepticism because of potential obstacles, including time constraints and social and cultural stigma, a pattern of opinion reversal emerged in all groups. By the end of each discussion, participants believed that, given its affordability and its potential to protect infants from HIV infection, heat-treated human milk may be a feasible infant-feeding option for HIV-positive mothers in Zimbabwe. These findings merit further investigation so that appropriate behavioral strategies can be designed.

Adolescent↗

Full breastfeeding duration and associated decrease in respiratory tract infection in US children.

OBJECTIVE: The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends exclusive breastfeeding for an infant's first 6 months of life. When compared with exclusive breastfeeding for 4 months, greater protection against gastrointestinal infection, but not respiratory tract infection, has been demonstrated for the 6-month duration. The objective of this study was to ascertain if full breastfeeding of > or = 6 months compared with 4 to < 6 months in the United States provides greater protection against respiratory tract infection. METHODS: Secondary analysis of data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey III, a nationally representative cross-sectional home survey conducted from 1988 to 1994, was performed. Data from 2277 children aged 6 to < 24 months, who were divided into 5 groups according to breastfeeding status, were compared. Children who required neonatal intensive care were excluded. SUDAAN software was used to account for the complex sampling design. Logistic regression adjusted for confounding factors. Outcome measures included adjusted odds of acquiring pneumonia, > or = 3 episodes of cold/influenza, > or = 3 episodes of otitis media (OM), or wheezing in the past year or acquiring first OM at < 12 months of age. RESULTS: In unadjusted analyses, infants who were fully breastfed for 4 to < 6 months (n = 223) were at greater risk for pneumonia than those who were fully breastfed for > or = 6 months (n = 136) (6.5% vs 1.6%). There were not statistically significant differences in > or = 3 episodes of cold/influenza (45% vs 41%), wheezing (23% vs 24%), > or = 3 episodes of OM (27% vs 20%), or first OM at < 12 months of age (49% vs 47%). Adjusting for demographic variables, childcare, and smoke exposure revealed statistically significant increased risk for both pneumonia (odds ratio [OR]: 4.27; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.27-14.35) and > or = 3 episodes of OM (OR: 1.95; 95% CI: 1.06-3.59) in those who were fully breastfed for 4 to < 6 months compared with > or = 6 months. CONCLUSIONS: This nationally representative study documents increased risk of respiratory tract infection including pneumonia and recurrent OM in children who were fully breastfed for 4 vs 6 months. These findings support current recommendations that infants receive only breast milk for the first 6 months of life.

Birth Weight↗

Morbidity and mortality during the first two years of life among uninfected children born to human immunodeficiency virus type 1-infected women: the women and infants transmission study.

OBJECTIVE: We evaluated morbidity and mortality during the first 2 years of life among children born to human immunodeficiency virus-(HIV) type 1-infected women enrolled in the Women and Infants Transmission Study (WITS) during an 11-year period (1990-2001). DESIGN AND METHODS: As part of WITS, evaluations were performed at birth and at 1, 2, 4, 6, 9, 12, 18 and 24 months of age. Growth, hospitalization and the incidence of clinical disease were assessed regularly. RESULTS: Data regarding 1118 children born to HIV-infected women (955 HIV-uninfected children and 163 HIV-infected children) were analyzed. Fewer changes in the caretaker of the child and fewer in utero exposures to drugs, tobacco and alcohol occurred in the latter periods of the study (all P values for time trend analyses <0.01). The percentages of HIV-uninfected children with poor weight gain (44 of 767; 5.7%), short stature (32 of 703; 4.5%) and wasting (27 of 792; 3.4%) were higher than expected for the general population. Two or more changes in caretaker were associated with all growth deficiencies except wasting, and fetal exposure to tobacco was associated with height abnormalities. Anemia was common and was associated with receipt of zidovudine prophylaxis. Morbidity and mortality decreased during the study period. For the uninfected children, a decrease in class A events (Kaplan-Meier rates: group 1, 22.3%; group 2, 6.8%; group 3, 4.2%; P < 0.001) and class C events and death (Kaplan- Meier event rates: group 1, 2.0%; group 2, 1.7%; group 3, 0.2%; P = 0.062) during the first 2 years of life account for the differences in the curves over time. CONCLUSIONS: During an 11-year period, morbidity and mortality during the first 24 months of life decreased substantially for children born to HIV-infected women.

Adult↗

Lactation among adolescent mothers and subsequent bone mineral density.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the association of breastfeeding during adolescence with bone mineral density (BMD) during young adulthood. METHODS: Secondary analysis of data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey III, a nationally representative cross-sectional survey conducted from 1988 through 1994, was performed. The BMDs for 5 regions of the proximal femur as measured by dual energy x-ray absorptiometry were compared for 5 groups of women aged 20 to 25 years (n = 819); the groups included those who had been: (1) adolescent mothers and had breastfed (n = 94), (2) adolescent mothers and had not breastfed (n = 151), (3) mothers who first gave birth as adults and breastfed (n = 67), (4) mothers who first gave birth as adults and had not breastfed (n = 89), and (5) nulliparous (n = 418). SUDAAN software was used to account for the complex sampling design of the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. Adjusted mean differences in BMD were estimated using least-squares linear regression. RESULTS: During young adulthood, women who breastfed during adolescence had higher adjusted BMDs, which was statistically significant in 4 of the 5 regions, than those who had not breastfed (total proximal femur area difference, 0.049 gm/cm(2) [95% confidence interval, 0.002-0.095]) and BMDs equivalent to nulliparous women (total proximal femur area difference, 0.024 gm/cm(2) [95% confidence interval, -0.023 to 0.071]). Adjusting also for obstetric variables, women who breastfed during adolescence had higher BMDs in all 5 regions compared with their peers who had not breastfed (total proximal femur area difference, 0.053 gm/cm(2) [95% confidence interval, 0.029-0.077]). CONCLUSIONS: In this nationally representative sample, breastfeeding by adolescent mothers was associated with greater BMD in the proximal femur during young adulthood. Lactation was not found to be detrimental and may be protective to the bone health of adolescent mothers.

Absorptiometry, Photon↗

Growth, survival and viral load in symptomatic childhood human immunodeficiency virus infection.

BACKGROUND: The relationships among weight and height growth, viral load and survival in HIV-infected children remain unclear. OBJECTIVES: To determine whether weight or height growth velocity independently predicts survival and to investigate associations of weight, height and head circumference growth velocities with viral loads in symptomatic HIV-infected children. METHODS: We analyzed data from a prospective antiretroviral study utilizing clinical endpoints (PACTG 152). Viral load [log(RNA PCR)] and anthropometric measures 12 weeks before and after viral load measures were available in 494 of 831 children. Interval changes during 24 weeks in z-scores for weight-for-age (DeltaWAZ), height-for-age (DeltaHAZ) and head circumference-for-age (DeltaHCZ) were used as growth velocity surrogates. Logistic regression determined whether DeltaWAZ and/or DeltaHAZ correlated with survival when age, viral load and CD4+ cell count were controlled. Bivariate analysis assessed correlation among viral load and DeltaWAZ, DeltaHAZ and/or DeltaHCZ. RESULTS: Survival related significantly to height growth velocity (P = 0.03, n = 434) but not to weight growth velocity (P = 0.84, n = 446) or head circumference growth velocity (P = 0.67, n = 148). Viral load was not significantly associated with changes in weight-, height-, or head circumference-for-age z scores (P = 0.86, n = 235; P = 0.07, n = 226; and P = 0.09, n = 165, respectively) in children <30 months of age or with changes in weight- or height-for-age z scores (P = 0.27, n = 259; P = 0.11, n = 251) in older children. CONCLUSIONS: Height growth velocity predicted survival independently of age, viral load and CD4+ cell count. Weight, height and head circumference growth velocities were not significantly associated with viral load in symptomatic HIV-infected children in this large prospective trial of nucleoside reverse transcriptase therapy.

Adolescent↗

Analgesic effects of breast-feeding or pacifier use with maternal holding in term infants.

OBJECTIVES: First, to compare analgesic effects of breast-feeding versus pacifier use in newborn infants undergoing blood collection via heel sticks. Second, to compare analgesic effects of pacifier use with maternal holding versus nonmaternal holding. DESIGN: A prospective, randomized, controlled trial. SETTING: Normal newborn nursery at academic teaching hospital. PARTICIPANTS: Full-term breast-feeding infants scheduled for routine newborn screening blood test via heel stick (n = 96). Interventions.-Infants randomized to 3 groups for analgesia: 1) breast-feeding, 2) pacifier use while held by mothers, 3) pacifier use while held by research assistants (nonmothers). OUTCOME MEASURES: Primary outcome was crying (percent of infants who cried during the procedure and mean percent of procedure time that infants cried). Secondary outcomes were physiologic measures. RESULTS: Fewer breast-feeding infants cried than infants using a pacifier while held by nonmothers both during the procedure (69% vs 100%, P < .01) and after the procedure (28% vs 60%, P = .03). Those infants crying during the procedure cried for less time if held by their mothers either breast-feeding (33%, P < .01) or using a pacifier (45%, P = .03) than those using a pacifier while being held by nonmothers (66%). CONCLUSION: Breast-feeding is more analgesic than pacifier use with nonmaternal holding. Maternal holding with either breast-feeding or pacifier use is more analgesic than nonmaternal holding with pacifier use, suggesting that maternal holding itself has an analgesic effect. Breast-feeding and maternal holding should be considered as pain-control measures for the neonate during heel-stick procedures.

Analgesia↗