Leukocyte Telomere Length at Birth and During the Early Life of Children Exposed to but Uninfected With HIV After In Utero Exposure to Antiretrovirals.

ABSTRACT: Background:Maternal combination antiretroviral therapy (cART) during pregnancy could impact the health of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-exposed, HIV-uninfected (HEU) children, because some antiretrovirals cross the placenta and can inhibit telomerase. Our objective was to compare leukocyte telomere length (LTL) in HEU children and HIV-unexposed, HIV-uninfected (HUU) children at birth and in early life and to investigate any relationship with cART exposure. Methods:HEU and HUU children's blood LTL was compared cross-sectionally at birth, and during the first three years of life. Longitudinal HEU LTL dynamics was evaluated over that same period. Results:At birth, the LTL in HEU children (n = 114) was not shorter than that in HUU children (n = 86), but female infants had longer LTL than

SUBMITTER: Ajaykumar A 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5853286 | biostudies-literature | 2018 Feb

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature