Background Low bone mineral density (BMD) has been reported among 10–54% of HIV-infected adolescents in developed countries. We studied the prevalence and predictors of low BMD among HIV-infected Thai adolescents receiving antiretroviral therapy. Methods A cross-sectional study of lumbar spine (L2–L4) BMD as measured by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) in Thai HIV-infected adolescents aged 12–20 years was performed. The BMD Z-score was analyzed using age-matched healthy Thai children as a reference. Serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25-OHD) was performed. Osteopenia was defined as BMD Z-score≤ −2. Results From October 2010 to February 2011, 101 adolescents, 50% male, with a median age of 14.3 (range, 13.0–15.7) years were enrolled. The median (IQR) current CD4 T-cell count was 646 (506–796) cells/mm3 and 90% had plasma HIV-1 RNA <50 copies/ml. The mean BMD among HIV-infected adolescents and controls were 0.855 and 0.980 g/cm2(P<0.001). The median (IQR) L2–L4 spine BMD Z-score was −1.0 (−1.9 to −0.1), of which 24% had BMD Z-score ≤ −2.0. The median (IQR) of 25-OHD level was 24.8 (20.0–31.4) ng/ml, of which 25% had vitamin D level < 20 ng/ml. In multivariate analysis, the height for age Z-score <−1.5 (adjusted odds ratio (aOR) 6.2; 95% CI 2.2–17.7) and history of WHO clinical stage 4 prior to ART (aOR 3.7; 95%CI 1.3–10.7) were significantly associated with osteopenia. Conclusion One-fourth of HIV-infected Thai adolescents have osteopenia. Children with history of advanced- staging or having low height for age are at risk of osteopenia. Preventive measures to prevent osteopenia should be incorporated in routine care for these adolescents.

Introduction Since 2015, the World Health Organization (WHO) has recommended that all people living with HIV (PLHIV) initiate antiretroviral treatment (ART), irrespective of CD4+ count or clinical stage. National adoption of universal treatment has accelerated since WHO's 2015 “Treat All” recommendation; however, little is known about the translation of this guidance into practice. This study aimed to assess the status of Treat All implementation across regions, countries, and levels of the health care delivery system. Methods Between June and December 2017, 201/221 (91%) adult HIV treatment sites that participate in the global IeDEA research consortium completed a survey on capacity and practices related to HIV care. Located in 41 countries across seven geographic regions, sites provided information on the status and timing of site‐level introduction of Treat All, as well as site‐level practices related to ART initiation. Results Almost all sites (93%) reported that they had begun implementing Treat All, and there were no statistically significant differences in site‐level Treat All introduction by health facility type, urban/rural location, sector (public/private) or country income level. The median time between national policy adoption and site‐level introduction was one month. In countries where Treat All was not yet adopted in national guidelines, 69% of sites reported initiating all patients on ART, regardless of clinical criteria, and these sites had been implementing Treat All for a median period of seven months at the time of the survey. The majority of sites (77%) reported typically initiating patients on ART within 14 days of confirming diagnosis, with 60% to 62% of sites implementing Treat All in East, Southern and West Africa reporting same‐day ART initiation for most patients. Conclusions By mid‐ to late‐2017, the Treat All strategy was the standard of care at almost all IeDEA sites, including rural, primary‐level health facilities in low‐resource settings. While further assessments of site‐level capacity to provide high‐quality HIV care under Treat All and to support sustained viral suppression after ART initiation are needed, the widespread introduction of Treat All at the service delivery level is a critical step towards global targets for ending the HIV epidemic as a public health threat.

Protease inhibitor (PI) may cause abnormal glucose metabolism, abnormal lipid metabolism, and metabolic syndrome in HIV-infected adults but less well studied in Asian adolescents. This cross-sectional study evaluated anthropometric factors, oral glucose tolerance test, and lipid profiles of perinatally HIV-infected Thai adolescents who had received PI-based antiretroviral therapy for at least 6 months. Eighty adolescents were enrolled [median (IQR) age 16.7 (14.6–18.0) years, 42 males]. Metabolic syndrome, prediabetes, and type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) were found in 8 (10%), 17 (22.1%), and 3 (3.8%) adolescents, respectively. Dyslipidemia was found in 56 (70%) adolescents, with hypertriglyceridemia being the most common type. In multivariate analysis, presence of lipohypertrophy (OR: 25.7, 95% CI: 3.2–202.8; p = 0.002) and longer duration of PI use (OR: 1.04, 95% CI: 1.00–1.08; p = 0.023) were associated with metabolic syndrome. Obesity (OR: 7.71, 95% CI: 1.36–43.7; p = 0.021), presence of lipohypertrophy (OR: 62.9, 95% CI: 4.97–795.6; p = 0.001), and exposure to stavudine for ≥6 months (OR: 8.18, 95% CI: 1.37–48.7; p = 0.021) were associated with prediabetes/T2DM, while exposure to tenofovir for ≥6 months reduced the risk (OR: 0.17, 95% CI: 0.04–0.78; p = 0.022). Metabolic disorders were commonly found in adolescents receiving PI. Careful monitoring and early intervention to modify cardiovascular risk should be systematically implemented in this population particularly those with exposure to stavudine.