Diferenças ultrassonográficas da quantidade de gordura corporal e os antirretrovirais / Differences in body fat distribution assessed by ultrasonography in patients receiving antiretroviral drugs

OBJETIVO: Este estudo procurou avaliar o conteúdo de gordura dos portadores do HIV segundo o tempo de uso da terapia antirretroviral (TEMPARV), < 1 ano e > 1 ano. MÉTODOS: A regressão linear múltipla foi utilizada para investigar a associação entre as variáveis ultrassonográficas dos compartimentos corporais de gordura (CCG) da face, braço, abdômen subcutâneo e visceral e as seguintes variáveis explanatórias: sexo, idade, IMC e TEMPARV. RESULTADOS: Do total de pacientes (187), 102 com TEMPARV > 1ano eram portadores de lipodistrofia relacionada ao HIV (LD-HIV), diagnosticados de acordo com os questionários clínicos. Já aqueles com TEMPARV < 1 ano (n= 85, ≈46%) não apresentavam LD-HIV. Com relação ao compartimento visceral, a diferença entre os pacientes com TEMPARV > 1 ano e < 1 ano foi de 11 mm de gordura adicionais naqueles em TEMPARV > 1 ano. As mulheres tinham mais gordura que os homens em todos os CCG periféricos, enquanto eles tinham 7,2 mm a mais de gordura visceral que elas, em média. CONCLUSÃO: A ultrassonografia é um método capaz de medir a espessura de gordura dos CGC aplicável à prática clínica para diagnosticar a LD-HIV.

OBJECTIVE: 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. METHODS: 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. RESULTS: 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 11 mm of additional fat content in those with DURARV > 1 year. Women had more fat than men in all peripheral BFCs, while men had 7.2 mm more visceral fat than women, on average. CONCLUSION: Ultrasonography is a method capable of measuring the thickness of BFCs and is applicable to clinical practice to diagnose HIV-LD.

What should we know about metabolic syndrome and lipodystrophy in AIDS? / O que devemos saber sobre síndrome metabólica e lipodistrofia na AIDS?

OBJECTIVE: Prevalence of chronic complications of HIV infection is increasing and early recognition and treatment of the components of metabolic syndrome (MS) are essential to prevent cardiovascular and metabolic complications. Considering this, we performed a cross-sectional study on the prevalence and risk-factors for MS among HIV-infected subjects. METHODS: A total of 819 patients followed at a large outpatient HIV unit were assessed by an interviewer-administered questionnaire that recorded several demographic, epidemiologic, clinical, laboratory, and social variables. Lipodystrophy diagnosis relied on agreement between patient's self-report and physician's observation of altered body-fat deposits. The presence of three or more of the following characteristics identified MS: increased waist circumference, hypertriglyceridemia, low HDL cholesterol level, hypertension, and hyperglycemia. We used logistic regression analyses to study variables independently associated with MS. RESULTS: The prevalence of MS was 20.6 percent and that of lipodystrophy was 38.5 percent. 61 (36.1 percent) out of 169 patients with MS had also lipodystrophy. Patients with metabolic syndrome were significantly more likely to be older (OR = 1.08), had higher CD4 counts (OR = 1.001), had an increased body mass index (OR = 1.27) and had longer exposure to antiretroviral therapy (OR = 1.01) than those without metabolic syndrome. CONCLUSION: Both traditional risk factors for cardiovascular disease and factors associated with HIV infection itself, such as an increased CD4 cell count and a longer exposure to antiretroviral therapy, seem to be associated with metabolic syndrome in the present study population.

OBJETIVO: A prevalência de complicações crônicas da infecção HIV está aumentando, e o reconhecimento precoce e o tratamento dos componentes da síndrome metabólica (SM) são essenciais para a prevenção de complicações cardiovasculares e metabólicas. Considerando isso, realizamos um estudo transversal sobre prevalência e fatores de risco para SM em indivíduos HIV+. MÉTODOS: Um total de 819 pacientes acompanhados em um ambulatório de HIV foi avaliado por um entrevistador que registrou em questionário dados demográficos, epidemiológicos, clínicos, laboratoriais e variáveis sociais. O diagnóstico de lipodistrofia baseou-se na concordância entre autorrelato do paciente e observação do médico das alterações de gordura corporal. A SM foi identificada pela presença de três ou mais das seguintes características: circunferência abdominal aumentada, hipertrigliceridemia, colesterol HDL baixo, hipertensão e hiperglicemia. Análises de regressão logística foram utilizadas para identificar variáveis associadas à SM. RESULTADOS: A prevalência de SM foi 20,6 por cento e de lipodistrofia foi 38,5 por cento. Entre os 169 pacientes com SM, 61 (36,1 por cento) apresentavam lipodistrofia. Os pacientes com síndrome metabólica tinham, significativamente, maior probabilidade de ser mais velhos (OR = 1,08), ter maior contagem de CD4 (OR = 1,001), ter maior índice de massa corporal (OR = 1,27) e ter maior tempo de exposição à terapia antirretroviral (OR = 1,01). CONCLUSÃO: Tanto fatores de risco tradicionais para doença cardiovascular quanto fatores associados à infecção HIV, como aumento da contagem de CD4 e maior exposição à terapia antirretroviral, parecem estar associados à SM na população estudada.

Effect of sociodemographic, clinical-prophylactic and therapeutic procedures on survival of AIDS patients assisted in a Brazilian outpatient clinic

The Brazilian AIDS Program offers free and universal access to antiretroviral therapy. This study investigates the influence of sociodemographic, clinical-prophylactic and therapeutic factors on survival, after AIDS diagnosis, in an open cohort of 1,420 patients assisted in a university hospital in the city of Rio de Janeiro (1995 _ 2002). Kaplan-Meier and Cox proportional hazards models were used to estimate the effect of variables in the three dimensions studied. The overall survival time of the upper quartile was 24 months (CI95 percent= 20.5-27.5), increasing from 14 months, in 1995, to 46 months, in 1998. We found a protective effect of heterosexual behavior against death that could be attributed to the increasing female-to-male sex ratio in the cohort, which coincided with the time of therapy introduction. Low schooling, hospital admission and lack of follow-up were identified as risk factors for death; PCP and Toxoplasmosis prophylaxis were protective. The number of attempts required to consolidate the antiretroviral therapy showed no significant effect on survival. The full model, which includes the number of antiretroviral drugs in the regimen, confirmed the triple therapy as the best regimen. This study brings important information for designing guidelines to deal with different aspects related to the practical management of patients and their behavior, thus contributing to the success of the program of free access to antiretroviral therapy implemented in Brazil.