Evolving perspectives on HIV-associated lipodystrophy syndrome: moving from lipodystrophy to non-infectious HIV co-morbidities

Abstract

This article will provide insight into the evolving perspectives on HIV-related lipodystrophy syndrome: recent changes in epidemiology, a shifting focus from individual component assessment towards a more comprehensive risk evaluation for organ dysfunction and disease, the impact of patient-related outcomes in heath-related quality of life and the integration of this syndrome into a wider scenario of a premature ageing process in HIV-infected people will be discussed. The time has come to proceed beyond lipodystrophy studies based on blood concentrations of lipids and glucose and body fat evaluation. Surrogate markers of organ disease associated with lipodystrophy better identify patients vulnerable to non-infectious co-morbidities (NICMs) rather than statistical risk algorithms. In this evolving perspective NICMs take the place of lipodystrophy in the description of the clinical spectrum of HIV disease and allow integration of this syndrome into the wider scenario of a premature ageing process in HIV-infected people. Management of NICMs needs to be considered as part of a multi-disciplinary holistic approach that accommodates the increasing number of factors influencing non-infectious HIV-related outcomes.