Massage to Enhance Well-Being: HIV+ Dominican Children

描述（由申请人提供）：全世界有130多万儿童感染艾滋病毒/艾滋病，这正在成为认知和发育迟缓的主要传染性原因，特别是在婴儿和免疫功能明显障碍的儿童中。有令人信服的证据表明，按摩疗法可能具有增强免疫状态和改变艾滋病毒疾病进程的潜力。为了支持这一概念，在HIV-1血清阳性青少年和成人中，即使在没有抗逆转录病毒治疗的情况下，按摩治疗也证明了免疫细胞毒性能力的增加和HIV疾病进展标志物的改善。虽然按摩疗法增强HIV-1感染儿童免疫功能的能力尚未得到研究，但在早产儿研究中，按摩治疗后体重增加，压力行为减少，认知和运动发育更佳。这项拟议的发展研究赠款的目的是研究按摩疗法的疗效，这是一种负担得起的和潜在的有益的补充/替代治疗，以促进健康和提高多米尼加共和国艾滋病毒-1血清阳性儿童的福祉，多米尼加共和国是一个受艾滋病毒/艾滋病蹂躏的发展中国家。在多米尼加共和国，儿童艾滋病毒/艾滋病病例的数量迅速上升，抗逆转录病毒疗法尚不容易获得，无法减缓疾病的进展。我们建议随机选择54名年龄在3-7岁之间的HIV-1感染的多米尼加儿童，接受按摩治疗或标准护理/友好访问，每周两次，持续12周。将收集初步数据，以评估按摩治疗的接受性、安全性和依从性，并检查按摩治疗是否会改善免疫功能、发育表现和行为功能。我们假设按摩疗法将是一种有效，安全和可持续的护理形式。如果证明有效，这可能会广泛应用，重点是培训家庭/护理人员进行按摩治疗。从该项目中获得的见解将用于开发未来研究的应用程序，以确定按摩疗法的有效性，其对免疫系统的影响，以及随着时间的推移在HIV-1血清阳性儿童中保持健康状态的潜在机制。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): Worldwide, more than 1.3 million children are living with HIV/AIDS, which is becoming the leading infectious cause of cognitive and developmental delays, especially in infants and children with marked immune dysfunction. There is compelling evidence that massage therapy may have the potential to enhance immune status and alter the course of HIV disease. In support of this concept, increased immune cytotoxic capacity and improvement in HIV disease progression markers have been demonstrated following massage therapy in HIV-1 seropositive adolescents and adults, even in the absence of antiretroviral treatments. Although the ability of massage therapy to enhance immune function in HIV-1 infected children has not yet been investigated, increased weight gain, decreased stress behavior, and more optimal cognitive and motor development have been reported following massage treatment in studies with premature newborns. The intent of this proposed developmental research grant is to examine the efficacy of massage therapy, an affordable and potentially beneficial complementary/alternative treatment, to promote health and enhance well being in HIV-1 seropositive children in the Dominican Republic, a developing country ravaged by HIV/AIDS. The number of pediatric HIV/AIDS cases has been rapidly rising in the Dominican Republic, and antiretroviral regimens are not yet readily available to slow disease progression. We propose to randomize 54 HIV-1 infected Dominican children aged 3-7 years, to receive massage therapy or standard care/friendly visits, twice weekly for 12 weeks. Preliminary data will be gathered to assess acceptance, safety, and compliance to massage therapy, and examine whether massage treatment will improve immune function, developmental performance and behavioral function. We hypothesize that massage therapy will be a valid, safe, and sustainable form of care. If proven effective, this may have widespread application with a focus on training of family/care givers to administer the massage treatment. Insights obtained from this project will be used to develop an application for future studies to determine the effectiveness of massage therapy, its impact on the immune system, and potential mechanisms involved in preserving health status over time in HIV-1 seropositive children.