Publications by authors named "L Kasonka"
Methods for measuring body composition in Zambian adolescents living with HIV.
PLOS Glob Public Health
December 2024
Article Synopsis
- Body composition assessment is crucial for managing health conditions like HIV, especially in resource-limited settings such as Africa.
- Researchers tested methods like dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA), bioelectrical impedance (BIA), and various anthropometric measures on 420 HIV-infected adolescents in Zambia.
- While BIA and anthropometry provided some data, they were not reliable enough for tracking changes in body composition compared to DXA, with BIA potentially being useful for identifying general trends when DXA isn’t available.
Vitamin D dysregulation can occur in people living with HIV, disrupting calcium homeostasis, and bone turnover. We aimed to investigate the potential mechanisms by which vitamin D regulates bone turnover in adolescents living with perinatally-acquired HIV (ALWH) in Southern Africa. A pre-planned secondary analysis was performed of baseline data from the vitamin D for adolescents with HIV to reduce musculoskeletal morbidity and immunopathology trial (PACTR20200989766029) which enrolled ALWH (11-19 yr) taking antiretroviral therapy for ≥6 mo, and recorded socio-demographic, clinical and dietary data.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFThe prevalence of poor linear growth among African children with perinatally acquired HIV remains high. There is concern that poor linear growth may to lead to later total and central fat deposition and associated non-communicable disease risks. We investigated associations between height-for-age score (HAZ) and total and regional fat and lean mass measured by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry, expressed as internal population scores, among 839 Zimbabwean and Zambian perinatally HIV-infected male and female adolescents aged 11-19 years.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFArticle Synopsis
- Adolescents living with HIV often experience stunting and delayed puberty, leading to issues with bone density and muscle function.
- The VITALITY trial included 842 adolescents from Zambia and Zimbabwe, examining the impact of vitamin D and calcium supplementation on their musculoskeletal health while using various measurement techniques.
- The study found that lower bone density scores were linked to factors like older age at ART initiation, low physical activity, and poor dietary intake of vitamin D and calcium, suggesting supplementation and exercise could benefit these adolescents.
Update: Vitamin D and calcium carbonate supplementation for adolescents with HIV to reduce musculoskeletal morbidity and immunopathology (VITALITY trial): study protocol for a randomised placebo-controlled trial.
Trials
July 2024
Background: Of the 2 million children living with HIV globally, 90% live in sub-Saharan Africa. Despite antiretroviral therapy, longstanding HIV infection is associated with several chronic complications in children including growth failure, particularly stunting and delayed puberty. Vitamin D deficiency, which is highly prevalent among children living with HIV in sub-Saharan Africa, has further adverse impact on bone health.
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