HIV-Associated Lipodystrophy Treatment Focuses On Improving the Muscle Functions of the Major Organs
An estimated 86,000 people in Germany are living with HIV – around 20% live in Berlin. Use of older antiretroviral drugs (ART) in people suffering from HIV may lead to lipodystrophy. These drugs include, stavudine (d4T, Zerit), zidovudine (AZT, Retrovir), didanosine (ddI, Videx) and indinavir (Crixivan). In AIDS patients, the body's lymphatic system cannot produce sufficient quantities of the fat-producing hormone leptin, which normally controls energy intake and energy expenditure. The first documented cases of this condition were revealed among HIV-infected individuals taking ART. Since then, numerous studies have provided evidence that people with HIV experience an increased risk of contracting lipodystrophy, particularly through inherited fat accumulation within the context of a compromised immune response. It has been hypothesized that this fat accumulation results in a decreased ability of the liver to respond to insulin, thereby contributing to the progression of HIV. The...