Body composition in HIV-infected patients receiving highly active antiretroviral therapy

Background: The development of combination antiretroviral therapies (cART) represents a significant advance in the treatment of (human immunodeficiency virus) HIV infection. However, several studies report that a large percentage of individuals with HIV, particularly those receiving cART, present body composition differences compared with the general population. The aim of this study was to explore body composition differences by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DEXA), among HIV-positive patients receiving cART, in comparison to healthy controls.Methods: The cross-sectional study included 60 HIV-infected patients (all under 50 years old). We analyzed the association of antiretroviral medication use and different HIV-related factors, to the body composition parameters.Results: Our cohort had significantly lower fat mass and lower bone mass compared to non HIV-infected persons. Median time since HIV infection diagnosis was 5 years (interquartile range, [IQR], 2–10.25) and viral suppression was achieved in ...