Evaluation of hematological, virologic and anthropometric parameters as progression markers in HIV-1 infected children.

OBJECTIVE To analyze total lymphocyte count, total leukocyte count, hemoglobin levels, nutritional status, CD4+ T-lymphocyte count and viral load as markers of disease progression and/or death in HIV-infected children. METHODS This retrospective cohort study assessed antiretroviral naïve HIV-infected children who were asymptomatic or had mild and/or moderate symptoms. The events of interest were: progression to clinical category C (according to the classification of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention - CDC, 1994) or death. Values of total leukocyte count, total lymphocyte count, hemoglobin, weight-for-age z score, CD4+ T-lymphocyte count and plasma viral load obtained at admission were considered in the risk analysis of events of interest. The population was stratified into age groups: < 12, >or= 12 to < 36, >or= 36 to < 60 months. RESULTS One hundred and twenty patients, admitted between 1997 and 2003, met the inclusion criteria for the present study. The total median of follow-up duration was 7.4 months (25-75% interquartile range = 3.8-21.1). In the multivariate analysis, only CD4+ T-lymphocytes count, according to the categories of the World Health Organization, and weight-for-age z score <or= -2 were predictors of risk for disease progression in children older than 12 months. In children younger than 12 months, none of the variables was associated with risk of progression. CONCLUSION Nutritional status is an important aspect in the assessment of risk of disease progression in HIV-infected children older than 12 months.