Abstract

AIDS: Lipodystrophy is a condition marked by unusual deposits of fat throughout the body and increased lipid and cholesterol levels in the blood. Although the cause of lipodystrophy is still unknown, it has been linked to use of protease inhibitors, and more recently to nucleoside analogs. Some scientists who initially disagreed with these theories, and thought that lipodystrophy was the result of dramatic decreases in viral load and the body's attempt to recover, now believe the condition is a side effect stemming from the length of time a patient receives treatment. Data is presented to support each hypothesis. A timeline is provided, which displays the appearance of HIV-related abnormalities to initial use of particular antiretroviral drugs.