Abstract

GONZALEZ GUTIERREZ, Tamara; VIVAS BOMBINO, Luis  and  GONZALEZ TAPIA, Margarita. Syndrome of lipodystrophy. Rev Ciencias Médicas [online]. 2014, vol.18, n.2, pp.320-328. ISSN 1561-3194.

Introduction: HIV morbidity and mortality has substantially decreased with the use of HAART. The prevalence of lipodystrophy in HAART patients is greatly variable; clinically, the changes may be subtle at the beginning, with signs of central lipohypertrophy and peripheral lipoatrophy in early stages. When lipoatrophy affects the face and/or fat accumulates to the cervicodorsal region (buffalo hump), this is considered advanced lipodystrophy. Clinical case: female patient of black race, 43 years of age, diagnosed HIV-positive in July 1999. After several years of treatment, changes started to be noticed in her body constitution, with clear signs of lipodystrophy. Conclusions: the syndrome of lipodystrophy constitutes an adverse effect of HAART in AIDS patients, causing morphological and metabolic alterations that affects adherence to the treatment. Aesthetic repercussions provoke psychological alterations that affect these individuals directly in the affective, social and working areas. More research is needed for more evidence about this syndrome. The proper evaluation by health care professionals of HIV patients consuming HAART is vitally important, in order to timely diagnose the syndrome of lipodystrophy and apply fitting methods of treatments.

Keywords : HIV-associated lipodystrophy syndrome; HIV; Highly active antiretroviral therapy; CD4-positive T-lymphocites.

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