Selected highlights from the 4th International Workshop on Adverse Drug Reactions and Lipodystrophy in HIV
Researchers in Australia conducted a two-year study of HIV positive subjects who were using their first HAART regimen. Before starting therapy, DEXA scans of their legs were taken to assess fat levels. Doctors recruited 53 subjects, all of whom were male. Twenty-seven subjects received the nuke d4T and 26 received the nuke AZT, both in addition to other anti-HIV drugs. Thirty-three subjects received protease inhibitors.
At the start of the study, subjects had about 22% leg fat. Two years later, among d4T users the proportion of leg fat fell to 13%. In the group of AZT users, the proportion of leg fat had decreased to only 19%. This difference between the d4T and AZT groups was statistically significant; that is, not likely due to chance alone.
The researchers found that protease inhibitors did not have a significant impact on changes in leg fat, at least over a period of two years. No mention was made of fat gain in the belly. This study is one of many to confirm the negative impact of d4T on the loss of subcutaneous fat. However, there are other parts of the body rich in fat, such as the arms, belly, buttocks and face, where the impact of nukes needs to be assessed.
REFERENCE
Nolan D, James I, McKinnon E and Mallal S, et al. Effect of stavudine, zidovudine and HIV protease inhibitor therapy on subcutaneous leg fat wasting in HIV-infected males — a longitudinal study. Abstract 28.
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