Treatment Trade-off

A study to determine whether human growth hormone might reverse some of the effects of antiretroviral drug-related lipodystrophy unveiled a bit of a paradox. It did, indeed, decrease trunk fat, visceral fat, and abdominal fat, as well as improve triglyceride levels and blood pressure, according to the study. But it also resulted in higher blood-sugar levels and an increased risk for diabetes, which already is a potential side effect of antiretroviral therapy. Lipodystrophy management 'using diet, exercise, and lifestyle change' is a better, more cost-effective approach for HIVers among whom 'changes in glucose may be counterproductive,' the researchers conclude.