Treatment of HIV-associated facial lipoatrophy: impact on infection progression assessed by viral load and CD4 count.

BACKGROUND: HIV/AIDS-Associated Lipodystrophy Syndrome includes changes in body fat distribution, with or without metabolic changes. The loss of fat from the face, called facial lipoatrophy, is one of the most stigmatizing signs of the syndrome. OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the effect of FL treatment using polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA) implants on disease progression, assessed by viral load and CD4 cell count. METHODS: This was a prospective study of 44 patients treated from July 2009 to December 2010. Male and female patients, aged over 18 years, with clinically detectable FL and who had never been treated were included in the study. PMMA implantation was done to fill atrophic areas. Laboratory tests were conducted to measure viral load and CD4 count before and after treatment. RESULTS: Of the 44 patients, 72.72% were male and 27.27% female, mean age of 44.38 years. Before treatment, 82% of patients had undetectable viral load, which increased to 88.6% after treatment, but without statistical significance (p = 0.67). CD4 count before treatment ranged from 209 to 1293, averaging 493.97. After treatment, the average increased to 548.61. The increase in CD4 count after treatment was statistically significant with p = 0.02. CONCLUSION: The treatment of FL with PMMA implants showed a statistically significant increase in CD4 count after treatment, revealing the impact of FL treatment on disease progression. Viral load before and after treatment did not vary significantly.

Treatment of HIV-associated facial lipoatrophy: impact on infection progression assessed by viral load and CD4 count / Tratamento da lipoatrofia facial associada ao HIV/AIDS: o impacto sobre a progressao da infeccao avaliada pela contagem de CD4 e carga viral

BACKGROUND: HIV/AIDS-Associated Lipodystrophy Syndrome includes changes in body fat distribution, with or without metabolic changes. The loss of fat from the face, called facial lipoatrophy, is one of the most stigmatizing signs of the syndrome. OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the effect of FL treatment using polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA) implants on disease progression, assessed by viral load and CD4 cell count. METHODS: This was a prospective study of 44 patients treated from July 2009 to December 2010. Male and female patients, aged over 18 years, with clinically detectable FL and who had never been treated were included in the study. PMMA implantation was done to fill atrophic areas. Laboratory tests were conducted to measure viral load and CD4 count before and after treatment. RESULTS: Of the 44 patients, 72.72% were male and 27.27% female, mean age of 44.38 years. Before treatment, 82% of patients had undetectable viral load, which increased to 88.6% after treatment, but without statistical significance (p = 0.67). CD4 count before treatment ranged from 209 to 1293, averaging 493.97. After treatment, the average increased to 548.61. The increase in CD4 count after treatment was statistically significant with p = 0.02. CONCLUSION: The treatment of FL with PMMA implants showed a statistically significant increase in CD4 count after treatment, revealing the impact of FL treatment on disease progression. Viral load before ...

FUNDAMENTOS: A Síndrome Lipodistrófica Associada ao HIV/AIDS compreende alterações na distribuição da gordura corporal, acompanhada ou não de alterações metabólicas. A perda da gordura facial, chamada lipoatrofia facial, é dos sinais mais estigmatizantes da síndrome. OBJETIVOS: Avaliar o impacto do tratamento dalipoatrofia facial com implante de polimetilmetacrilato sobre a progressão da doença, avaliada pela contagem da carga viral e a contagem de células CD4. MÉTODOS: Estudo prospectivlipoatrofia facial clinicamente detectável e sem tratamento prévio. Foi realizado implante de polimetilmetacrilato para preenchimento das áreas atróficas. Foram realizadas contagem da carga viral e células CD4 antes e após o tratamento. RESULTADOS: Dos 44 pacientes, 72,72% eram do sexo masculino e 27,27% do feminino, e idade média de 44,38 anos. Antes do tratamento, 82% dos pacientes apresentavam carga viral indetectável, que aumentou para 88,6% após o tratamento, mas sem significância estatística (p=0,67). A contagem de CD4 antes do implante variou de 209 a 1293, com média de 493,97. Após o tratamento, essa média aumentou para 548,61. O aumento do CD4 após o tratamento foi estatisticamente significativo, com p=0,02. CONCLUSÃO: O tratamento dalipoatrofia facial com implante de polimetilmetacrilato ...

Risk factors in human immunodeficiency virus/acquired immunodeficiency syndrome patients undergoing antiretroviral therapy in the state of Pernambuco, Brazil: a case-control study.

BACKGROUND: Although human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-associated lipodystrophy has been reported for more than a decade, there is still considerable uncertainty regarding the mechanisms involved in its pathogenesis. METHODS: A case-control study was performed that aimed to identify the risk factors for lipodystrophy in HIV/acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) patients undergoing antiretroviral therapy in Pernambuco, Brazil. RESULTS: Between July and November, 2007, a total of 332 patients were enrolled in the study: 182 cases and 150 controls. The following factors were independently associated with lipodystrophy: Use of stavudine [odds ratio (OR), 4.0; 95% confidence interval (CI), 2.3-6.9], use of didanosine (OR, 1.8; 95% CI, 1.0-3.4), use of lopinavir/ritonavir for less than 3 years (OR, 0.5; 95% CI, 0.2-1.0) and use of nucleoside/nucleotide analogue reverse transcriptase inhibitors (NTRIs) for more than 3 years (OR, 2.9; 95% CI, 1.6-5.2). Other associated factors were: duration of antiretroviral therapy (OR, 4.3; 95% CI, 2.4-7.9) and duration of HIV infection (OR, 2.9; 95% CI, 1.8-4.7). There was no association with the use of protease inhibitor when it was adjusted for the use of NRTIs. CONCLUSION: In this study, factors related to antiretroviral therapy were the main risk factors for lipodystrophy, corroborating the literature, but the findings also point to the need for further exploration into some of these associations, especially with the use of didanosine and lopinavir/ritonavir, which are less frequently reported. Future studies with a larger number of patients and a prospective design could provide valuable information for understanding this disorder.