Improvement in Highly Active Antiretroviral Therapy—Induced Metabolic Syndrome by Treatment with Pioglitazone but Not with Fenofibrate: A 2 × 2 Factorial, Randomized, Double-Blinded, Placebo-Controlled Trial

We designed a 2 × 2 factorial, randomized, double-blinded, placebo-controlled trial to evaluate the effects of treatment with pioglitazone and/or fenofibrate in patients with highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART)-induced metabolic syndrome. We found that the administration of pioglitazone, but not fenofibrate, improved insulin resistance, blood pressure, and lipid profile over a 12-month period.