Mitochondrial damage and lactic acidosis

April 2001     View PDF     En español

Mitochondrial toxicity and lipodystrophy

Contrary to early reports that only protease inhibitors were associated with changes in body composition, there are now many reports showing that people taking only nucleoside analogue drugs develop lipodystrophy [read Project Inform’s Lipodystrophy Syndrome(s)]. Until recently, research may have overlooked the fact that protease inhibitor use almost always includes use of nucleoside analogue drugs.

Moreover, different patterns of fat redistribution consistent with symptoms of mitochondrial damage have been seen among people only on nucleoside analogue drugs compared to people on protease inhibitors along with nucleoside analogue drugs. There are very little data available about people who use protease inhibitors without nucleoside analogue drugs. These theories and questions are being actively investigated and more information should be available soon.