Tenofovir disoproxil fumarate and bone mineral density: A 60-month longitudinal study in a cohort of HIV-infected youths

Background: Decreased bone mineral density (BMD) has been associated with the use of tenofovir disoproxil fumarate (TDF) in HIV-infected adults. The data in HIV-infected children are conflicting. The aim of this study was to assess the safety of a TDF-containing antiretroviral (ARV) regimen on BMD in paediatric patients. We report the results of a longitudinal 60-month follow-up study. Methods: A total of 21 vertically HIV-infected Caucasian youths (10 male and 11 female) on ARV treatment containing lamivudine, efavirenz and TDF were enrolled (age range 4.9-17.9 years at baseline). BMD was measured at the lumbar spine and in the whole skeleton by DXA. Bone-specific alkaline phosphatase (BAP) was measured as a bone formation marker and urinary N-telopeptide of type-I collagen (NTx) was measured as a bone resorption index. Results: Baseline mean (±sd) BMD measurements of HIV-infected patients expressed as z-scores were -0.7 (±0.9) for lumbar spine and -0.13 (±1.0) for the whole skeleton. BMD measurements did not change significantly during the 60-month observation period. Both BAP and NTx concentrations were higher than a reference group of controls at baseline and remained unchanged throughout the study. Conclusions: Our data indicate that a TDF-containing regimen does not decrease the BMD of HIV-infected youths.