Abstract
Several side effects have been strongly associated with antiretroviral therapy in HIV patients. Among them, the lipodystrophy syndrome which presents alterations in body shape with central adipose hypertrophy and peripheral lipoatrophy, reported by patients as a visible marker identifying them as HIV patients. This manuscript presents an analysis of current literature regarding the psychosocial aspects of HIV patients with lipodystrophy associated with antiretroviral therapy. The results show that the alterations in body shape can be disturbing in terms of psychosocial well being, affecting quality of life and increasing the stigma associated with the disease, with consequent disturbances in social relations. This analysis provides a preliminary review of the psychosocial aspects of lipodystrophy and further studies are needed for a better understanding of this complex syndrome, which could provide new information to be used in nursing care for HIV patients affected by this problem.
Highlights
Lipodystrophy, characterized by increased serum levels of cholesterol and triglycerides, increased glycemia associated with insulin resistance, and changes in body fat distribution, is a syndrome associated with antiretroviral therapy(1)
Eight studies were published in the following medical journals: “HIV Medicine”, “AIDS Patient Care STDS”, “AIDS Read”, “International Journal of STD & AIDS”, “Sexually Transmitted Infection”, “Dermatologic Surgery”, and “Clinical Infectious Disease”
There was a shortage of nursing investigations regarding lipodystrophy, the most frequently reported psychological and social effects were relevant to nursing practice
Summary
Lipodystrophy, characterized by increased serum levels of cholesterol and triglycerides, increased glycemia associated with insulin resistance, and changes in body fat distribution, is a syndrome associated with antiretroviral therapy(1). Symptoms of lipodystrophy include adipose tissue hypertrophy with central fat distribution, fat accumulation in the abdomen, chest and viscera, emergence of a cervical curvature called “buffalo hump”, and loss of adipose tissue in the face, buttocks and upper and lower limbs(2). It was first associated with the use of protease inhibitors, this syndrome has been found among patients using reverse transcriptase inhibitors(3). Some patients stop taking their antiretroviral regimen in order to avoid the adverse psychosocial effects of fat wasting(5-7)
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