Chronic non-infectious lung conditions in adolescents living with HIV

Abstract

Background: The immune suppression and dysregulation in patients living with Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) predisposes them  to chronic noninfectious lung conditions.

Objective: To describe the chronic noninfectious lung conditions in adolescents living with HIV and associated factors.

Design: This was a retrospective study with convenient consecutive sampling.

Subjects: Children living with HIV (10 to 16 years) during the study period 1st April 2011 to 31st March 2019.

Setting: The study was done at Chris Hani Baragwanath Academic Hospital, South Africa at the Pediatrics pulmonology and HIV clinics.

Methods: The Database in the two clinics was screened and files retrieved. The information retrieved included; demographics, age at HIV  diagnosis, duration on Anti-retroviral therapy, (ART) types of chronic noninfectious lung conditions, history of ever being treated for  tuberculosis, anthropometric measures, ART regimens, viral loads and CD4 counts at diagnosis and at censure.

Results: Data was  analyzed for 276 files. Females were 139 (50.4%). The median (interquartile range (IQR)) age at censure was 14 years (12-15 years). The  majority of the participants were diagnosed with HIV at the age of 6 years (161 (58.2%)) (IQR 5-9). Bronchiectasis was the most common  condition (n=113 (41%)), followed by Lymphoid interstitial pneumonia (LIP) (n=102 (37%)). A history of ever being treated for tuberculosis  (n=140(50.7%)) was associated with multiple chronic noninfectious lung conditions (p=0.014).

Conclusion: Adolescents living with HIV in  Johannesburg, South Africa had a high prevalence of chronic non-infectious pulmonary diseases such as bronchiectasis and tuberculosis  disease was associated with multiple chronic lung conditions.