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Lipodystrophy Syndrome in Patients with HIV Infection

Quality of Life Issues

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Abstract

Current antiretroviral therapy has lead to longer survival in patients infected with HIV, but it is also associated with new and important problems. Body fat redistribution and metabolic abnormalities, the so-called lipodystrophy syndrome, are among the most prevalent and worrisome ones. While an increasing number of patients infected with HIV are becoming affected by this syndrome, the pathogenesis of this syndrome and how to prevent and treat the problem all remain largely unknown.

Body fat changes stigmatise the bodies of patients infected with HIV giving them a similar look to that seen in patients some years ago when the wasting syndrome was more prevalent and HIV infection was ultimately fatal. The psychological impact of body fat changes may be severe enough to affect a patients’ desire to continue with antiretroviral therapy. Metabolic abnormalities, probably with the exception of symptomatic diabetes mellitus and hypertriglyceridaemia-induced pancreatitis, do not have an immediate impact on the quality of the lives of patients with HIV. However, their potential long term cardiovascular and bone consequences may increase the morbidity and the mortality of patients infected with HIV through noninfectious diseases. The impact of lipodystrophy on patients infected with HIV is not readily captured with the classic instruments used to measure quality of life and hence it is necessary to modify them urgently. Though treating lipodystrophy seems fully justified, there is no proven treatment for this problem, although a number of treatments have been used with varying success. Despite the recognition that lipodystrophy may have important psychological repercussions, the best psychological approach for this problem is not known at present. Although lipodystrophy has its own peculiarities, existing knowledge about how to psychologically help other patients with deforming body changes might be of help for patients infected with HIV, or at least may act as a starting point.

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Acknowledgements

This work was supported in part by grant FIS 98/1227 from the Spanish Ministry of Health.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Infectious Diseases Unit, Clinical Intitute of Infections and Immunology, Institut d’Investigacions Biomèdiques August Pi i Sunyer, Hospital Clínic, C/Villarroel 170, 08036, Barcelona, Spain

    Esteban Martínez, Miguel A. Garcia-Viejo & José M. Gatell

  2. Psychiatry Unit, Clinical Institute of Psychology and Psychiatry, Hospital Clínic, Barcelona, Spain

    Jordi Blanch

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  1. Esteban Martínez
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  2. Miguel A. Garcia-Viejo
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  3. Jordi Blanch
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  4. José M. Gatell
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Correspondence to Esteban Martínez.

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Martínez, E., Garcia-Viejo, M.A., Blanch, J. et al. Lipodystrophy Syndrome in Patients with HIV Infection. Drug-Safety 24, 157–166 (2001). https://doi.org/10.2165/00002018-200124030-00001

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