The impact of antiretroviral (ARV) medication, particularly tenofovir disoproxil fumarate (TDF), on the growth of infants breastfed by women living with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)

<p dir="ltr">This study investigated the impact of tenofovir disoproxil fumarate (TDF)-based antiretroviral therapy (ART) on infant growth and breast milk composition among women living with HIV (WLWHIV) in South Africa. Using breast milk samples and growth data from the UmbiBaby study, researchers analyzed tenofovir (TFV) levels via LC-MS/MS (detected at sub-therapeutic concentrations below 50–200 ng/mL) and macronutrient content in 26 WLWHIV on TDF and 65 HIV-negative controls. This study used previously obtained breast milk samples and growth data from the UmbiBaby study carried out in the Tshwane District. Breast milk samples were collected from 26 WLWHIV receiving TDF treatment and from a control group of 65 mothers not living with HIV at 14 weeks postpartum. Breast milk samples were analysed using LC-MS/MS to detect the presence of tenofovir (TFV) and its metabolites. Quantification was not performed due to sensitivity limitations. Macronutrient contents were assessed using a Miris Human Milk Analyser (HMA). Infant growth parameters were extracted from the REDCap database and assessed using a retrospective cohort design, focusing on mean anthropometry z-scores based on WHO standards and comparing HIV-exposed and uninfected (HEU) and HIV-unexposed and uninfected (HUU) infants from 6 weeks to 24 months of age through longitudinal analysis.</p>