Lipodystrophy syndrome(s)

November 2001     View PDF     En español

Laboratory abnormalities and
associated health risks

Changes in body shape are sometimes, but not always, accompanied by changes in laboratory measures of lipid (triglyceride and cholesterol) levels and insulin resistance. In the general population, increases in these measures are associated with a higher risk of heart disease and diabetes. It’s unknown if increases in these measures caused by HIV infection or anti-HIV drugs produce these same effects.

Laboratory abnormalities sometimes seen in some people with lipodystrophy include:

• Increases in triglyceride levels
• Changes in cholesterol levels (increases in LDL, or bad cholesterol, decreases in HDL, or good cholesterol)
• Start of diabetes or insulin resistance
• Elevated blood pressure

One study suggests that women are less likely than men to have changes in triglyceride and cholesterol levels and the reason for this difference is unknown. However, there are many contradictory findings about lipodystrophy in other studies, so it’s unclear whether this is a conclusive observation.