Relationship between pre-pregnancy maternal body mass index and infant weight trajectories in HIV-exposed and HIV-unexposed infants

Gestational weight gain and adverse birth outcomes in South African women with HIV on antiretroviral therapy and without HIV: a prospective cohort study

INTRODUCTION

Outside of pregnancy, evidence shows that persons with HIV initiating or switching to dolutegravir (DTG)-based antiretroviral therapy (ART) experience greater weight gain compared to those on other ART classes. However, there are few data on the impact of DTG-based ART on gestational weight gain (GWG) in sub-Saharan Africa where HIV is most common. According to the National Academy of Medicine (NAM), GWG below and above NAM guidelines is associated with adverse birth outcomes. Therefore, the objective of this study was to describe GWG by HIV status and ART regimen, and examine the associations with adverse birth outcomes.

METHODS

We enrolled pregnant women with HIV (WHIV) and without HIV (≥18 years) in a peri-urban primary healthcare facility in Cape Town, South Africa between 2019 and 2022. GWG was study-measured at 24-28 (baseline) and 33-38 weeks gestation and converted to GWG rate (kg/week) in accordance with NAM guidelines. GWG z-scores were generated using the INTEGROWTH-21 and US standards to account for differing lengths of gestation. Birth outcome data were obtained from medical records. Associations of GWG z-score with adverse birth outcomes were assessed using multivariable linear or log-binomial regression.

RESULTS

Among 292 participants (48% WHIV), median age was 29 years (IQR, 25-33), median pre-pregnancy body mass index (BMI) was 31 kg/m2 (IQR, 26-36) and 20% were primiparous at baseline. The median weekly rate of GWG was 0.30 kg/week (IQR, 0.12-0.50), 35% had GWG below NAM standards (59% WHIV) and 48% had GWG above NAM standards (36% WHIV). WHIV gained weight more slowly (0.25 vs. 0.37 kg/week, p<0.01) than women without HIV. Weekly rate of GWG did not differ by ART regimen (DTG-based ART 0.25 vs. efavirenz-based ART 0.27 kg/week, p = 0.80). In multivariable analyses, GWG z-score was positively associated with continuous birth weight (mean difference = 68.53 95% CI 8.96, 128.10) and categorical high birth weight of >4000 g (RR = 2.18 95% CI 1.18, 4.01).

CONCLUSIONS

Despite slower GWG among WHIV, nearly half of all women gained weight faster than recommended by the NAM. GWG was positively associated with infant birth weight. Interventions to support healthy GWG in sub-Saharan Africa are urgently needed.

A 12-month Prospective Study of HIV-infected and HIV-uninfected Women and Their Infants in Malawi: Comparative Analysis of Clinical Events and Infant Growth

Few studies have compared clinical outcomes in HIV-exposed uninfected (HEU) and HIV-unexposed uninfected (HUU) infants in the current scenario of universal and lifelong maternal antiretroviral therapy (ART). HIV-uninfected and HIV-infected Malawian women receiving ART and their breastfed infants were followed for 12 months postpartum, analyzing the rates of infectious and noninfectious events and assessing infant growth at 6 weeks, 6 months, and 12 months. The cohorts included 227 mothers (70 HIV-negative, 157 HIV-positive) and 235 infants (72 HUU, 163 HEU). No maternal or infant deaths occurred during follow-up. HIV-negative women were less likely to complete follow-up (48.6% versus 91.1%). Mothers with and without HIV had similar rates of both infectious and noninfectious events per person-month. Infants who were HEU, compared with HUU, had higher rates of events of any type, lower respiratory tract infections (LRTI), and noninfectious events. HEU had lower body mass index (BMI) at 6 weeks but did not differ from HUU in all anthropometric measures at 6 and 12 months; in growth between 6 weeks and 12 months; and in occurrence of stunting, underweight, and wasting at 6 weeks, 6 months, and 12 months. During the first year of life, infants who were HEU, compared with HUU, showed a transiently lower BMI and an increased risk of LRTI.

In-utero HIV exposure and cardiometabolic health among children 5-8 years: findings from a prospective birth cohort in South Africa

OBJECTIVE

To evaluate if in-utero HIV exposure is associated with adverse cardiometabolic health outcomes at 5-8 years of age.

DESIGN

Prospective cohort study.

METHODS

We enrolled a random sample of HIV-exposed but uninfected (HEU) and HIV-unexposed children from the Drakenstein Child Health study, a longitudinal birth cohort study in Cape Town, South Africa, in a cardiometabolic health pilot study. Outcomes were assessed by trained study staff and included: anthropometry, body composition and size, blood pressure, fasting plasma glucose, HbA1c, lipids, and insulin resistance using HOMA-IR. We used multivariable linear and log-binomial regression to estimate associations between HIV-exposure and cardiometabolic outcomes, adjusted for child age, sex, height, body size, and maternal factors as appropriate.

RESULTS

We included 260 children (HEU n = 100, HIV-unexposed n = 160). HEU children had older mothers (median age 30 vs. 26 years), with minimal differences in gestational age and size at birth by HIV-exposure status. In multivariable analyses, HEU children had lower weight-for-age (mean difference -0.35, 95% confidence interval -0.66, -0.05), and height-for-age (mean difference -0.29, 95% confidence interval -0.56, -0.03; z-scores). There were no differences in adiposity, impaired glucose metabolism, or lipid levels by HIV-exposure status. Overall, 12% of children had blood pressure more than 90th percentile, with no differences by HIV-exposure status.

CONCLUSION

Overall, there were few differences in cardiometabolic outcomes between HEU and HIV-unexposed children in this South African cohort. Although these findings are reassuring, monitoring of cardiometabolic health is important as HEU and HIV-unexposed children enter adolescence and cardiometabolic risk trajectories become established.