It is Time to Explore the Potential Benefit of Routine Micronutrient Supplementation in Optimizing Bone Health and Growth in HIV Exposed Uninfected Children in the Context of Early Antiretroviral Exposure in Resource Limited Settings

Abstract

There is evidence that human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infected children have decreased bone mineral density (BMD) compared to population norms.1-4 Similarly, several studies have shown impaired growth among HIV infected children with several patterns of disrupted growth.5-7 Among other factors, micronutrient deficiencies are believed to contribute significantly to growth failure in HIV infected children, particularly in resource constrained settings with high background rates of micronutrient deficiencies.