Neurologic Outcomes in HIV-Exposed/Uninfected Infants Exposed to Antiretroviral Drugs During Pregnancy in Latin America and the Caribbean.

To evaluate antiretroviral (ARV) drug exposure and other factors during pregnancy that may increase the risk of neurologic conditions (NCs) in HIV-exposed/uninfected (HEU) infants. A prospective cohort study was conducted at 24 clinical sites in Latin America and the Caribbean. Data on maternal demographics, health, HIV disease status, and ARV use during pregnancy were collected. Infant data included measurement of head circumference after birth and reported medical diagnoses at birth, 6-12 weeks, and 6 months. Only infants with maternal exposure to combination ARV therapy (cART) (≥3 drugs from ≥2 drug classes) during pregnancy were included. Microcephaly, defined as head circumference for age z-score less than -2, and NC were evaluated for their association with covariates, including individual ARVs, using bivariable and logistic regression analyses. From 2002 to 2009, 1,400 HEU infants met study inclusion criteria. At least one NC was reported in 134 (9.6%; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 8.1-11.2), microcephaly in 105 (7.5%; 95% CI: 6.2-9.0), and specific neurologic diagnoses in 33 (2.4%; 95% CI: 1.6-3.3) HEU infants. Microcephaly and NC were not significantly associated with any specific ARV analyzed (p > 0.05). Covariates associated with increased odds of NC included male sex (odds ratio [OR] = 1.9; 95% CI: 1.3-2.8), birth weight <2.5 kg (OR = 3.1; 95% CI: 2.1-4.8), 1-min Apgar score <7 (OR = 2.5; 95% CI: 1.4-4.4), and infant infections (OR = 2.5; 95% CI: 1.5-4.1). No ARV investigated was associated with adverse neurologic outcomes. Continued investigation of such associations may be warranted as new ARVs are used during pregnancy and cART exposure during the first trimester becomes increasingly common.

Pregnancy in HIV vertically infected adolescents and young women: a new generation of HIV-exposed infants.

BACKGROUND: Vertically infected individuals are reaching childbearing age and the new generation of HIV-exposed infants is coming to pediatric care. METHODS: Chart review of pregnancies among HIV vertically infected adolescents and young women. RESULTS: Fifteen pregnancies were reviewed. Girls had HIV diagnosis at median age 10.1 years (range 1.3-20). They started sexual life at median age 15 years (range 13-19); median age at pregnancy was 16.9 years (range 14-21.5); 36.4% had presented an AIDS-defining clinical event; have been followed for median 8.5 years (range 2.9-15.8) and had used median two antiretroviral regimens (range 0-7). Fourteen (93.3%) received antiretroviral drugs during pregnancy; median CD4 cell count during pregnancy was 394 (range 117-651) cells/µl and median viral load was 4800 copies/ml (range 50-100 000); 54% had undetectable viral load near delivery. All patients delivered by elective c-section. Median birth weight was 2650 g (range 2085-3595), median length was 47.3 cm (range 42-51) and median gestational age 38 weeks (range 37-39). All newborn received zidovudine for 6 weeks of life and none was breastfed. Fourteen (93%) infants were considered HIV-uninfected; one was lost to follow-up. CONCLUSIONS: This group of adolescents seems to have sexual behavior similar to that of HIV-uninfected. Since this is an experimented antiretroviral population, new drugs may be necessary for adequate viral suppression to avoid HIV mother-to-child transmission. Follow-up of this third generation of HIV-exposed infants needs to be addressed within HIV adolescent care.

Abuso sexual crônico: estudo de uma série de casos ocorridos na Infância e na adolescência / Chronic abuse: study of a series of cases occurring in childhood and adolescence

A Organização Mundial de Saúde considera o abuso sexual um dos maiores problemas de saúde pública. Tal agravo atinge crianças e adolescentes muitas vezes silenciosamente e são praticados, usualmente, por pessoas ligadas diretamente às vítimas. Objetivo: descrever as características do abuso crônico em crianças e adolescentes, identificar os fatores de vulnerabilidade associados e avaliar o desfecho dos casos. Métodos: trata-se de uma série de 264 casos em 260 pacientes de 0 a 18 anos, vítimas de violência sexual, sendo 104 casos de abuso crônico, acompanhados no ambulatório de Atendimento a Crianças e Adolescentes Vítimas de Violência (ACAVV), do Hospital Universitário Antônio Pedro, da Universidade Federal Fluminense.Modelos de regressão logística, simples e múltiplos foram utilizados na análise estatística, considerando abuso crônico a variável dependente. Resultados:variáveis relacionadas com os 104 casos de abuso sexual crônico foram crianças (46), residência das vítimas (68) e ambiente intrafamiliar (75). Apesar dosexo feminino prevalente (91/104 casos), meninos tiveram três vezes mais chance de sofrer abuso crônico, tendo as vítimas de outros tipos de maus-tratos duas vezes mais chance de sofrer esse tipo de abuso, e manipulação de genitália, quatro vezes mais chance de acontecer quando comparado com o abuso sexual agudo. Conclusão: características das vítimas de abuso crônico foram crianças entre 6 e 10 anos e as adolescentes, abusadas dentro do ambientefamiliar, ocorrendo a maioria absoluta na residência das vítimas; metade das vítimas teve sexo vaginal com seus agressores. Observou-se que a violência foi cometida por pais e padrastos, sendo associada a outros maus-tratos.

World Health Organization considers sexual abuse one of the greatest health problems publishes. Such grievance reaches children and adolescents many times silently, and are practiced, usually by people linked directly to victims. Objective: to describe the characteristics of chronic abusein children and adolescents, identify vulnerability factors associated with the same and evaluate the outcome of cases attended. Methods it is studying aseries of 264 cases in 260 patients from zero to 18 years, victims of sexual violence, including 104 cases of chronic abuse, as outpatients Care for Children and Adolescents Victims of Violence (ACAVV), of Antonio Pedro University Hospital, at Universidade Federal Fluminense. Logistic regression models,single and multiple, were used in the statistical analysis, considering chronic abuse, the dependent variable. Results: variables related to 104 cases of sexualabuse chronic were kids (46), residence of the victims (68) and family environment (75 cases). Although the prevalent female sex (91/104 cases), boys were three times more likely to suffer chronic abuse, and victims of other types of maltreatment twice as likely to suffer this kind of abuse, and manipulation of genitals four times more likely to happen compared to acute sexual abuse. Conclusion: characteristics of victims of chronic abuse were children, agedbetween six and 10 years and adolescents. The victims were abused within the family environment, where the majority occurred in the victim's residence committed by fathers and step fathers, associated with other types of maltreatment. Importantly, half of the victims had vaginal sex with their aggressors.