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. 2012 Dec;16(Suppl 3):S637-43.
doi: 10.4103/2230-8210.105583.

Benefits of leptin therapy in HIV patients

Uma Sinha  1 , Keshab Sinharay, Nilanjan Sengupta, Prasanta Mukhopadhyay
Affiliations

Benefits of leptin therapy in HIV patients

Uma Sinha et al. Indian J Endocrinol Metab. 2012 Dec.

Abstract

Leptin therapy in human recombinant form has recently been used in HIV-associated lipodystrophy syndrome on experimental basis in some small short-term clinical trials. It has shown its beneficial effects only in hypoleptinemic HIV-infected patients by causing definite improvement in their insulin sensitivity, glucose tolerance, lipid status, and truncal obesity. Leptin prevents lipotoxicity and activates insulin signaling pathways through several postulated mechanisms. Central leptin insufficiency with peripheral hyperleptinemia has come out to be a significant contributor to the development of obesity and metabolic syndrome. In this article, we will review the basis of leptin therapy in HIV patients, with its promises. However, further larger clinical trials are needed to prove its long-term efficacy in the control of metabolic complications related to HIV therapy.

Keywords: Antiretroviral therapy; HIV; leptin; lipodystrophy; metabolic syndrome.

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Conflict of interest statement

Conflict of Interest: None declared

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