• If HIV-associated wasting is treated early and effectively, the clinician can expect a number of beneficial outcomes.

• Treatment results in the replacement of lost body cell mass and weight. Physical capabilities, quality of life, and a patient’s physical appearance also improve.

• An important outcome, particularly with the use of recombinant human growth hormone, is improved survival. In the case of growth hormone, this has been shown to be independent of CD4+ cell count and viral load.

• Effective therapy also decreases the frequency of opportunistic infections and related complications. This, in turn, results in a decrease in the number of hospitalizations.