Mitochondrial damage and lactic acidosis

April 2001     View PDF     En español

Mitochondrial toxicity and one of its symptoms called lactic acidosis have been highlighted recently as a previously undiagnosed side effect of anti-HIV drugs. Some researchers believe that mitochondrial toxicity contributes to the fat redistribution (lipodystrophy) associated with anti-HIV therapy. Although much more research is needed to fully understand this issue, this article explores the current thoughts about the connections among mitochondrial toxicity, lactic acidosis and lipodystrophy.