Case report
HIV-Associated Lipodystrophy Syndrome
Ana Milinković
Abstract
In recent years, lipodystrophy and its related complications have become one of the major problems confronting HIV-
-infected patients on antiretroviral therapy. More than ten years after having been described for the first time, comprehensive
knowledge of its underlying molecular basis, the natural history of body fat changes and metabolic abnormalities,
and even a working definition of lipodystrophy are all still lacking. No standardized objective assessment of body fat
has been incorporated into clinical practice for patient monitoring. Although a huge amount of data has been generated,
no clinically proven treatment for any feature of lipodystrophy is currently available. The only intervention that has been
shown to reverse lipoatrophy had been the discontinuation of thymidine analogues, although even then the results obtained
are at most partial or modest. Recently published studies using uridine (NucleomaxX) and pravastatin resulted
in a significant increase of subcutaneous fat. The potential for reversing lipodystrophy once it has developed is limited,
but promising results in preventing it are obtained with thymidine analogue-sparing initial antiretroviral regimens.
These results raise the question of whether we may be facing a definitive solution to the lipodystrophy syndrome.
Keywords
lipodystrophy; metabolic abnormalities; HIV; HAART
Hrčak ID:
27707
URI
Publication date:
25.4.2006.
Visits: 1.527 *