• Contrary to popular belief, weight loss and wasting are still major concerns in this era of HAART. Previous studies did not clearly demonstrate an association between viral suppression and either the maintenance of nutritional status or the return of nutritional status to a normal level.

• This study, by Christine Wanke, attempts to resolve this issue. She analyzed baseline and prospective data from a cohort of 633 HIV-positive individuals who were enrolled in the Nutrition for Healthy Living, a longitudinal study begun in 1995.1

• The enrolled men and women undergo nutritional and health assessments at baseline and then at study visits every six months.

• A variety of data are gathered, including weight, height, bioelectric impedance analysis, anthropometry, intercurrent medications, and drug history. HIV laboratory parameters are also obtained, such as viral load and CD4 cell count.

• From the initial 633 participants, sufficient follow-up data to define wasting was available for 466 subjects.

Reference:

1. Wanke C. Weight loss and wasting remain common complications in individuals infected with human immunodeficiency virus in the era of highly active antiretroviral therapy. Clin Infect Dis. 2000;31:803-5.