Height Changes May Be a Marker of HIV Progression in Children

Changes in height appear to be better indicators of HIV disease progression in children than weight changes, according to a Duke University study in the November 7 issue of the journal AIDS. Researchers analyzed increases in height and weight in 300 HIV-positive children and found that rapid height growth was typically a better indicator of virologic suppression and other clinical signs of slow HIV disease progression. They recommend that future pediatric clinical trials use height velocity as 'a component of a composite endpoint.'