Therapeutic effects of nandrolone and testosterone in adult male HIV patients with AIDS wasting syndrome (AWS): a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial.

PURPOSE: We aimed to compare therapeutic effects of intramuscular (IM) nandrolone decanoate and IM testosterone enanthate in male HIV patients with AIDS wasting syndrome (AWS) with placebo control. METHODS: In this randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, 12-week trial, 104 patients with AWS who satisfied our inclusion criteria were randomly allotted in a 2:2:1 ratio to the 3 intervention groups: nandrolone, testosterone, and placebo. We administered 150 mg nandrolone and 250 mg testosterone (both IM, biweekly). The primary outcome measure was a comparison of absolute change in weight at 12 weeks between the nandrolone decanoate, testosterone, and placebo groups. RESULTS: Intent-to-treat analysis was done. The nandrolone group recorded maximum mean increase in weight (3.20 kg; post hoc P < .01 compared to placebo). Body mass index (BMI) of subjects in the nandrolone group had a significantly greater increase (mean = 1.28) compared to both testosterone (post hoc P < .05) and placebo (post hoc P < .01). Waist circumference and triceps skinfold thickness of patients on nandrolone showed similar results. Nandrolone also ensured a better quality of life. Patients with low testosterone level (<3 ng/mL) benefited immensely from nandrolone therapy, which increased their weight and BMI significantly compared to placebo (P < .05). CONCLUSION: Our trial demonstrates the superior therapeutic effects of nandrolone in male AWS patients, including the androgen deficient.

RANTES, MDC and SDF-1alpha, prevent the HIVgp120-induced food and water intake decrease in rats.

Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-wasting syndrome might be facilitated by the HIVgp120 affecting the immunological system. We studied the effect (subchronic administration: 5 days) of HIVgp120, and a few immune-response mediators: regulated upon activation normal T-cell expressed and presumably secreted (RANTES), stromal derived factor-1alpha (SDF-1alpha), macrophage-derived chemokine (MDC), and their combination, on food and water intake in rats, motor control and pain perception. Eighty male adult Wistar rats received an intracerebroventricular (icv) administration of: vehicle 5 microl/day or 0.92 nmol daily of HIVgp120IIIB, RANTES, SDF-1alpha, or MDC, and the combination of RANTES+HIVgp120IIIB, SDF-1alpha+HIVgp120IIIB, or MDC+HIVgp120IIIB. Food and water intake was measured every day during administration, and 24 and 48 h after the last administration. Rats were also weighed the first and the last day of experiment in order to detect the impact of these treatments in the body weight. HIVgp120IIIB significantly decreased food and water intake. These rats gain less weight than the control (vehicle) and chemokines-treated subjects with exception of those treated with SDF-1alpha that also gain less weight. In addition, HIVgp120 deteriorated motor control. HIVgp120IIIB effects on food and water intake, and motor control were prevented by these chemokines. HIVgp120+RANTES, HIVgp120+SDF-1alpha, and SDF-1alpha alone induced hyperalgesia. Results suggest an interaction between HIVgp120 and the chemokine system to generate the HIV-wasting syndrome, the motor abnormalities and changes in pain perception.

Interleukin-6 and human immunodeficiency virus load, but not plasma leptin concentration, predict anorexia and wasting in adults with pulmonary tuberculosis in Malawi.

BACKGROUND: Wasting is a prominent feature of tuberculosis and may be more severe among individuals with HIV coinfection. It is likely that several biological mechanisms, including the anorexia of infection, are contributing to wasting. OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to determine whether leptin concentrations, in relation to the inflammatory cytokine response and level of HIV infection, are contributing to loss of appetite and wasting in adults with pulmonary tuberculosis and HIV infection. DESIGN: We characterized plasma leptin concentrations in relationship with self-reported loss of appetite, body mass index, fat mass (FM), IL-6, and HIV load in a cross-sectional study of 500 adults who presented with pulmonary tuberculosis in Zomba, Malawi. RESULTS: Plasma leptin concentrations, associated with FM, significantly decreased by increasing tertile of plasma HIV load (P = 0.0001). Leptin concentrations were inversely associated with plasma IL-6 concentrations after adjusting for sex, age, FM, and HIV load. Plasma leptin concentrations were associated with neither loss of appetite nor wasting. Inflammation, reflected by increased IL-6 concentrations, was associated with loss of appetite (odds ratio, 3.41; 95% confidence interval, 1.91-6.09), when adjusted for sex, age, FM, leptin concentrations, and HIV load. A high plasma HIV load was associated with severe wasting, defined as body mass index less than 16.0 kg/m2 (odds ratio, 2.14; 95% confidence interval, 1.09-4.19) when adjusted for sex, age, IL-6, FM, and leptin concentrations. CONCLUSION: This study suggests that the anorexia and wasting seem primarily determined by the level of inflammation and the level of HIV infection in patients with tuberculosis and HIV coinfection.

Challenges of malnutrition care among HIV-infected children on antiretroviral treatment in Africa.

More than 90% of the estimated 3.2 million children with HIV worldwide, at the end of 2013, were living in sub-Saharan Africa. The management of these children was still difficult in 2014 despite the progress in access to antiretroviral drugs. A great number of HIV-infected children are not diagnosed at 6 weeks and start antiretroviral treatment late, at an advanced stage of HIV disease complicated by other comorbidities such as malnutrition. Malnutrition is a major problem in the sub-Saharan Africa global population; it is an additional burden for HIV-infected children because they do not respond as well as non-infected children to the usual nutritional care. HIV infection and malnutrition interact, creating a vicious circle. It is important to understand the relationship between these 2 conditions and the effect of antiretroviral treatment on this circle to taking them into account for an optimal management of pediatric HIV. An improved monitoring of growth during follow-up and the introduction of a nutritional support among HIV-infected children, especially at antiretroviral treatment initiation, are important factors that could improve response to antiretroviral treatment and optimize the management of pediatric HIV in resource-limited countries.

Cytokine production in women with antiretroviral treatment-associated breast fat accumulation and limb wasting.

OBJECTIVE: To test the cytokine production of peripheral blood mononuclear cells in a group of HIV-infected women with breast enlargement and lower limb wasting while receiving antiretroviral therapy (ART) including a protease inhibitor. DESIGN: Case-control study including 20 women with fat tissue alterations and 20 matched controls treated with comparable ART. METHODS: Adipose tissue alterations (ATA) were defined by increased breast size (> or = 2 bra sizes) accompanied by lower limb fat wasting. A randomly selected subset of patients underwent analyses including: dual energy X-ray absorptiometry, metabolic and endocrine assays, in vitro cytokine production testing [interferon-gamma, interleukin (IL)-2, IL-4, IL-10, IL-12, tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha)] after appropriate stimulation; T-cell phenotyping, T-helper function after stimulation with either tetanus toxoid, influenza antigen, allogeneic peripheral blood lymphocytes, and phytohemagglutinin. Endocrinological study included the determination of plasma concentrations of prolactin, growth hormone, testosterone, adrenocorticotropic hormone, cortisol and C-peptide. RESULTS: In vitro production of IL-12 was higher (P = 0.0001), and TNF-alpha (P = 0.0093) and IL-10 (P < 0.0001) production were lower in stimulated peripheral blood mononuclear cells of ATA-positive women compared with ATA-negative women. ATA-positive women also showed a better response to tetanus toxoid (P = 0.021) and a lower median fluorescence intensity of CD14/DR (P=0.033). Plasma C-peptide values were higher in ATA-positive women compared with ATA-negative women (P = 0.033), even if in the normal range (< 4 ng/ml) in all but one of the ATA-positive patients. CONCLUSION: HIV-1-infected women who developed breast enlargement and lower limb fat wasting while receiving ART had a favorable immunological profile with efficient IL-12 production and T-helper function, and with TNF-a production in the range of a HIV-negative reference population. These findings suggest that the rescue of some immune functions under ART may be involved in the pathogenesis of this particular adipose tissue disorder.

Fasting hyperinsulinemia and increased waist-to-hip ratios in non-wasting individuals with AIDS.

OBJECTIVE: To identify metabolic and body composition changes associated with HIV-1 infection in a cross-sectional study of individuals stratified by immunologic status and body mass. DESIGN: Metabolic abnormalities including glucose intolerance and changes in body morphology have recently been described in HIV-1-infected individuals following therapy with protease inhibitor-containing highly active anti-retroviral therapy. Although this is suggestive of a direct drug effect, the possibility that HIV infection may induce a tendency towards such underlying derangements should be considered. HIV-infected patients are heterogeneous with respect to immunologic status and body mass. In examining the underlying effect of HIV-1 on metabolic and body composition parameters, stratification by various immunologic and body mass categories may give divergent results that would not be detected otherwise. METHODS: Thirty male participants were categorized into four cohorts: non-wasting HIV-seronegative controls, non-wasting HIV-infected patients with relatively intact immune function (CD4 cell count > 500 x 10(6)/l); non-wasting individuals with AIDS (CD4 cell count < 200 x 10(6)/l); and individuals with AIDS wasting. RESULTS: Increased fasting plasma insulin and waist-to-hip ratios were found specifically in non-wasting individuals with AIDS compared with HIV-negative controls. CONCLUSIONS: Our study emphasises the importance of both body mass and immune function in studying metabolic and body composition abnormalities associated with HIV-1 infection. The association of increased waist-to-hip ratios and hyperinsulinemia suggestive of insulin resistance in non-wasting individuals with AIDS suggest that the tendency towards these metabolic abnormalities may be related to the HIV infectious process or to factors associated with immunologic dysfunction.

Effects of hypogonadism and testosterone administration on depression indices in HIV-infected men.

Hypogonadism is prevalent among human immunodeficiency virus-infected men, in whom significantly reduced quality of life and mood disturbances have been reported. Previous studies have not investigated the relationship between depression score and gonadal function among such patients. We first compared depression scores in hypogonadal (n = 52) and eugonadal (n = 10) patients with acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) wasting, matched for weight and disease status, and then investigated the effects of testosterone administration on depression score in a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study among the group of hypogonadal men with AIDS wasting. The primary end point in all comparisons was the Beck Depression Inventory. Hypogonadal patients demonstrated significantly increased scores on the Beck inventory compared with eugonadal-, age-, weight-, and disease status-matched subjects (15.5+/-1.1 vs. 10.6+/-1.4 mean +/- SEM, P = 0.02). Among the combined hypogonadal and eugonadal subjects, a significant inverse correlation was seen between the Beck score and both free (r = 0.41, P<0.01) and total serum testosterone levels (r = -0.43, P<0.001). The relationship between the Beck score and testosterone levels remained highly significant, controlling for weight, viral load, CD4 count, and antidepressant use (P<0.01 for free testosterone, P<0.001 for total testosterone). Furthermore, when subjects were divided into two groups, based on a Beck score greater than 18 or less than or equal to 18, serum total and free testosterone levels were significantly lower in the subjects with a Beck score greater than 18, whereas there were no differences in weight, viral load, CD4 count, or Karnofsky status. End of study data were available in 39 patients who completed the randomized, placebo-controlled study. Beck score decreased significantly only in the subjects receiving testosterone (-5.8+/-1.3, P< 0.001), but not in subjects randomized to placebo (-2.7+/-1.3, P> 0.05). In a regression analysis, the change in Beck score was related significantly to change in weight (P<0.01). These data demonstrate increased depression score in association with hypogonadism in men with AIDS wasting, independent of weight, virologic status, and other disease factors. In such patients, administration of testosterone results in a significant improvement in depression inventory score. This effect may be a direct effect of testosterone or related to positive effects of testosterone on weight and/or other anthropometric indices. Additional studies are needed to assess the effects of testosterone on clinical depression indices in human immunodeficiency virus-infected patients.

Effects of tapering doses of oral prednisone on viral load among HIV-infected patients with unexplained weight loss.

In an exploratory study of virologic and immunomodulatory effects of corticosteroid therapy for wasting syndrome, four HIV-infected adults with recent unexplained weight loss were given tapering doses of prednisone over a 2-month period. Serum neopterin and TNF receptor II levels decreased from baseline after 7 days. An antiretroviral effect was observed initially, peaking on days 14-21 (mean change in HIV-1 branched chain DNA assay on day 21 of -0.52 log10; mean change, from baseline to nadir for each individual, of -0.63 log10); subsequent bDNA levels returned toward baseline as prednisone was tapered. No patient lost weight and there was a mean weight gain of 3.5 kg. Anecdotal reports of corticosteroid benefits in the wasting syndrome may result in part from decreased T cell activation leading to decreased HIV replication, an effect that may be self-limited or that may occur only at higher prednisone doses. Studies involving more targeted immunomodulatory agents for wasting syndrome are warranted.

Systemic immune activation as a potential determinant of wasting in Zambians with HIV-related diarrhoea.

Wasting in African AIDS patients is severe, and its aetiology is probably multifactorial: persistent diarrhoea, poverty and tuberculosis may all contribute. We report a cross-sectional study of body composition measured anthropometrically in 75 adult patients with HIV-related persistent diarrhoea in Lusaka, and its relationship to gastrointestinal infection and systemic immune activation assessed using serum neopterin and soluble tumour necrosis factor receptor (sTNF-R55) concentrations. Patients as a group were generally severely wasted (mean body mass index (BMI) 15.8 kg/m2, range 11-22), but the severity of wasting was related neither to oesophageal candidiasis nor to intestinal infection. In men but not women, all measures of nutritional status were negatively related to serum sTNF-R55 concentration (fat-free mass in men, r = -0.64; 95% CI: -0.80, -0.41; p < 0.0001). Some wasted patients had cutaneous features of malnutrition, again associated with higher sTNF55 concentrations, and two had peripheral oedema. The diarrhoea-wasting syndrome in this part of Africa seems to be associated with evidence of high cytokine activity in men, rather than oesophageal candidiasis or any particular intestinal opportunistic infection. This immune activation requires further investigation in the context of the sex difference we have observed.

Increased body weight and improved quality of life in AIDS patients following V-1 Immunitor administration.

OBJECTIVES: Development of affordable and safe therapy to reverse the loss of body mass is of critical importance since AIDS-related wasting is associated with increased mortality. METHOD: We have demonstrated earlier that oral therapeutic HIV vaccine, V-1 Immunitor (V1), tested in a small group of AIDS patients in Thailand not only increases T-cell counts and decreases the viral load but also results in weight gain and prolonged survival. To further expand this observation, we retrospectively analyzed 650 HIV-positive patients who were followed for an average of 23 weeks. RESULTS: The treatment with V1 resulted in a sustained and statistically significant increase in body mass across the whole population (mean+/-s.e.; 1.5+/-0.4 kg; P=6.5E-015). Among them, 384 (59%) patients gained an average of 4.2+/-0.2 kg; 107 (17%) had unchanged weight; and 159 (24%) had lost 3.8+/-0.3 kg. Thus, the prevailing majority of patients (76%) were able to gain or maintain weight. Treatment was well tolerated; in a survey of health status in a comparable but separate group of 382 patients, about 85% reported subjective improvement after V1 treatment, 6% reported no difference, and 9% of the patients reported minor adverse reactions, which did not last more than 1 week. Subjective improvement coincides with the reduction or clearance of oral thrush or mucocutaneous candidiasis in 87.5% of the patients. CONCLUSIONS: In an open label setting, V1 increases body weight, subjective assessment of quality of life, and is safe and effective for HIV patients with weight loss. These data provide the impetus of using V-1 Immunitor as an affordable and easy-to-administer means of treating AIDS-associated wasting and opportunistic infections.

Role of cytokines in AIDS wasting.

There is now a large literature implicating cytokines in the development of wasting and cachexia commonly observed in a variety of pathophysiologic conditions. In the acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS), cytokines elicited by primary and secondary infections seem to exert subtle and sustained effects on behavioral, hormonal, and metabolic axes, and their combined effects on appetite and metabolism have been postulated to drive wasting. However, correlations of increased blood levels of a particular cytokine with wasting in AIDS have not been consistent observations, perhaps because cytokines act principally as paracrine and autocrine hormones, as well as indirectly by activating other systems. A better understanding of the mechanisms underlying the catabolic effects of cytokines in clearly needed if more efficacious strategies are to be developed for the prevention and treatment of wasting in AIDS. In this review we first examine the interacting factors contributing to the AIDS wasting syndrome. We then analyze the complex and overlapping role of cytokines in the pathophysiology of this condition, and put forward a number of hypotheses to explain some of the most important features of this syndrome.

AIDS wasting syndrome as an enterometabolic disorder: the gut hypothesis.

There is an interesting relationship between the HIV virus, the health of the gastrointestinal tract, and AIDS wasting syndrome, involving Tumor Necrosis Factor alpha (TNF alpha), specific and non-specific immunity in the gut, gut permeability, and oxidative stress. It is hypothesized that the progression of HIV to full-blown AIDS may be impacted by maintaining a healthy gut. A therapeutic protocol which decreases oxidative stress, inhibits TNF alpha, enhances phase I and II liver detoxification, and improves specific and non-specific immunity in the gut should be part of a therapeutic protocol for HIV-infected individuals. Through a better understanding of the pathophysiology of HIV advancing to AIDS, the practitioner can develop a treatment strategy of nutritional and lifestyle changes which could theoretically prevent an HIV infection from advancing to full-blown AIDS.

Proinflammatory and regulatory cytokine levels in AIDS cachexia.

The serum concentrations of inflammatory (Interleukin-1 beta, Tumor necrosis alpha, Interleukin-6) and regulatory cytokines (Interleukin twelve) have been studied in ten AIDS cachectic patients and compared to a control group. A cytokine imbalance, and peculiarly a significant increase in proinflammatory cytokines (Interleukin-1, Interleukin-6, Tumor necrosis Factor alpha) and a decrease in regulatory cytokines such as Interleukin-12 were found. A significant correlation resulted between weight loss and Interleukin-1 beta and 6. A negative correlation between Interleukin-1 and 12 was noted, indicating that this last cytokine has an important regulatory role also in advanced state of the disease.

Weight gain, improvement in metabolic profile, and CD4 count with insulin administration in an AIDS patient.

Malnutrition with muscle wasting, weight loss, and decreased immunogenicity is a hallmark of Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS). Several anabolic agents have been utilized for retarding or preventing progressive wasting with limited success. However, insulin, with its most effective anabolic properties, has not been tried in an attempt to prevent or reverse cachexia in AIDS or any other wasting disorders. We report here the effect of using subcutaneous (s.c.) daily administration of insulin 0.3 U/kg (BW) for 6 months in a subject with AIDS. We noted a marked weight gain, improvement in metabolic profiles, that is, lowering of triglyceride, liver enzymes, glycohemoglobin concentrations, as well as 24-hour urinary excretion of urea nitrogen, protein, and creatinine suggestive of positive energy balance. Simultaneously, a marked rise in CD4 counts and an improvement in the thyroid hormone profile were also noted. A deterioration in these parameters occurred during the period of insulin withdrawal following completion of the study protocol. Resumption of insulin administration, on patient's request, once again resulted in the marked improvement similar to that noted during the study period. No adverse effects, including hypoglycemic episodes, were noted during either phase of insulin administration. The possibility that insulin administration may improve the wasting associated with AIDS may warrant further evaluation.

Body composition in clinically stable men with HIV infection.

Clinically stable HIV-infected men (N = 106) receiving investigational antiretrovirals were recruited. Subjects were divided into three HIV disease severity groups by CD4+ cell count. Standard measures of body composition were assessed, as well as serum measures of visceral protein stores and kilocalorie intake. Group 1 subjects (CD4+ T cells < 200) had significantly lower measures of body fat as compared with Group 2 (CD4 between 200 and 600) and Group 3 (CD4 > 600) despite adequate kilocalorie intake. Group 2 and Group 3 were not significantly different from each other. Our entire cohort had significantly lower muscle mass compared to norms. Our data demonstrate that people with advanced HIV disease have reduced muscle and fat.

The role of exercise in the prevention and treatment of wasting in acquired immune deficiency syndrome.

Involuntary weight loss with lean tissue depletion is a serious and AIDS-defining complication of HIV infection. This article explores definitions of AIDS wasting syndrome (AWS), its etiology, methods of assessing body composition, and pharmacological treatments. Recent research literature on the role of exercise in the prevention and treatment of AWS is reviewed. Included are studies of the safety of exercise, the effects of exercise on the immune system, and the effects of exercise on weight gain and body composition as well as studies of exercise in combination with medications and other interventions. Implications for clinical practice are discussed.

Malnutrition associated with HIV/AIDS. Part One: Definition and scope, epidemiology, and pathophysiology.

A documented association exists between nutritional status and immunologic function, development, and outcome of infectious processes, and treatment-related toxicity and vital organ function. In persons with AIDS, nutritional deficits precipitate a cycle that results in a downward spiral of weight lost, malabsorption, diarrhea, anorexia, body image disturbance, and increased risk for morbidity and mortality. This article presents an overview of the malnutrition in HIV/AIDS patients. It critiques the current Centers for Disease Control's definitions of wasting syndrome, describes the incidence of weight loss, delineates the implications of untreated malnutrition, and traces the etiology of weight loss and contributing factors. This article serves as an introduction to HIV/AIDS related malnutrition. A subsequent article will review nursing implications and clinical management programs.

Pneumocystis carinii pneumonia versus wasting syndrome among AIDS cases in Puerto Rico: a survival analysis.

OBJECTIVE: To compare mortality of wasting syndrome (WS) versus Pneumocystis carinii pneumonia (PCP) in AIDS patients reported in Puerto Rico after controlling for gender, age, and CD4 levels. METHODS: AIDS patients for which a diagnosis of WS (n = 1,180) or PCP (n = 765), who were reported to the AIDS Surveillance System of Puerto Rico between 1989 and 1992, were used to analyze the mortality risk among these diagnoses using a Cox's proportional hazard regression model. RESULTS: Cox model showed that WS patients had a 14% to 33% reduction in mortality risk compared with PCP patients after adjusting for gender and age (95% confidence level). Mortality risks for males were 18% (95% CI: 1%, 39%) higher than females risk after adjusting for AIDS defining condition and age. It was shown that a decrease in 100 CD4 cells increased the mortality by 37% (95% CI: 16%, 62%) after adjusting for AIDS defining conditions, gender, and age.

A boost to the system.

This article discusses nutritional support for patients with HIV. It examines the causes and effects of nutritional difficulties, and explores the aims and methods of providing nutritional support. A patient's nutritional status depends on whether they are symptomatic--as asymptomatic patients do not generally experience nutritional problems.