J Pediatr Infect Dis 2021; 16(04): 148-153
DOI: 10.1055/s-0041-1722973
Original Article

Glutathione Deficiency in HIV-1-Infected Children with Short Stature

Authors

  • Ping Du

    1   Department of Public Health Sciences, Penn State University College of Medicine, Pennsylvania, United States
  • Stephen M. Arpadi

    2   Department of Pediatrics, Mailman School of Public Health, Columbia University, New York, United States
  • Joshua Muscat

    1   Department of Public Health Sciences, Penn State University College of Medicine, Pennsylvania, United States
  • John P. Richie Jr.

    1   Department of Public Health Sciences, Penn State University College of Medicine, Pennsylvania, United States
Preview

Abstract

Objective This study was aimed to determine if glutathione (GSH) deficiency occurs in children with HIV infection and whether GSH deficiency is associated with HIV-related short stature.

Methods We conducted a cross-sectional study with two age-matched comparison groups in an inner city hospital-based pediatric AIDS/HIV outpatient clinic. Ten perinatally HIV-infected children aged 6 to 49 months with short stature (height–age percentile ≤5) were studied together with age-matched 10 HIV-infected children with normal height and 10 HIV-seronegative children with normal height. Total erythrocyte GSH (GSH and GSH disulfide) levels were determined by a modification of the 5,5′-dithiobis-2-nitrobenzoic acid glutathione disulfide reductase method. Other measures included complete blood counts, lymphocyte subset analysis, plasma albumin, cholesterol, vitamins A and E, and determination of HIV disease stage.

Discussion Erythrocyte GSH levels were lower in HIV-infected children with short stature (mean ± standard deviation [SD]: 0.639 µmol/mL ± 0.189) compared with HIV-infected children with normal height (mean ± SD: 0.860 µmol/mL ± 0.358; p < 0.05) and HIV-negative controls (mean ± SD: 0.990 µmol/mL ± 0.343; p < 0.05). Plasma levels of cholesterol, albumin, and vitamins A and E did not differ between the short-stature group and either the HIV-infected normal-height group or HIV-negative controls.

Conclusion These results demonstrate a GSH deficiency in HIV-infected children with short stature and support the hypothesis that GSH balance is important in growth among HIV-infected children.



Publikationsverlauf

Eingereicht: 17. Juli 2020

Angenommen: 13. Dezember 2020

Artikel online veröffentlicht:
03. März 2021

© 2021. Thieme. All rights reserved.

Georg Thieme Verlag KG
Rüdigerstraße 14, 70469 Stuttgart, Germany