Differences in body fat distribution assessed by ultrasonography in patients receiving antiretroviral drugs

• Published in: Revista da Associação Médica Brasileira 2012-03, Vol.58 (2), p.197-203
• Main Authors: Signorini, Dario Jose Hart Pontes, Maria Schmidt de Oliveira Netto, Ana, Monteiro, Michelle Carreira Miranda, Signorini, Dario Hart, Codeço, Cláudia Torres, Bastos, Francisco I., Gabbay, Sergio, de Andrade, Marion de Fátima Castro
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: cross-sectional studies; highly active anti-retroviral therapy; HIV infection; HIV-related lipodystrophy syndrome
• ISSN: 2255-4823; 2255-4823
• DOI: 10.1016/S2255-4823(12)70180-7

This study aimed to evaluate the body fat content of HIV patients according to the duration of antiretroviral therapy use (DURARV), < 1 year and ≥ 1 year. Multiple linear regression was used to investigate the association between ultrasonographic variables of body fat compartments (BFCs) of the face, arm, subcutaneous and visceral abdomen, and the following explanatory variables: gender, age, BMI, and DURARV. Of all patients (187), 102 of them with DURARV ≥ 1 year were suffering from HIV-related lipodystrophy (HIV-LD), diagnosed through clinical questionnaires. Those with DURARV < 1 year (n=85, ≈ 46%) did not have HIV-LD. Regarding the visceral compartment, the difference between those with DURARV ≥ 1 year and < 1 year was 11mm of additional fat content in those with DURARV ≥ 1 year. Women had more fat than men in all peripheral BFCs, while men had 7.2mm more visceral fat than women, on average. Ultrasonography is a method capable of measuring the thickness of BFCs and is applicable to clinical practice to diagnose HIV-LD.