icon_folder.gif   Conference Reports for NATAP  
 
  7th International Workshop on
Adverse Drug Reactions and Lipodystrophy in HIV
November 13-17, 2005
Dublin, Ireland
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Office-based assessment of body composition abnormalities in patients under HAART
 
 
  Abstracts presented at the 7th International Workshop on Adverse Drug Reactions and Lipodystrophy in HIV 13-16 November 2005, Dublin, Ireland
 
WH Belloso1, ML Sanchez1, MR Ajzenszlos1, GD Lopardo2, AM Galich1, P Fainstein Day1, D Torres1, IM Otegui1, LD Stern1 and LO Clara1 1Hospital Italiano de Buenos Aires, Buenos Aires Argentina; 2Fundacion Centro de Estudios Infectologicos, Buenos Aires, Argentina
 
ABSTRACT 35
Antiviral Therapy 2005; 10:L24
 
Background: Although a universal definition of lipodystrophy is not yet available, there are some body composition parameters that are considered relevant for assessment of alterations in body fat distribution. Total body fat, subcutaneous and visceral fat and peripheral fat mass are usually analysed in the search of antiretroviral drug consequences on body composition. Imaging methods are frequently used for these evaluations. We analysed the correlation between inexpensive office-based methods (anthropometry and bioimpedance - BIA) with imaging methods for the assessment of different body composition parameters.
 
Methods: Cross-sectional study performed in the lipodystrophy assessment cohort followed at the Hospital Italiano de Buenos Aires. After confirmation of normal distribution, variables were analysed through Pearson correlation and linear regression test.
 
Results: At one particular moment 103 patients had multiple evaluations done (anthropometry, BIA, DEXA and abdominal CT scan). 29/103 (28%) were female and mean age was 40.4 years. Total body fat assessed by BIA showed a correlation of 0.9 with DEXA scan. Waist perimeter had a correlation of 0.61 with CT scan visceral fat and 0.69 with Trunk Fat by DEXA. Thigh perimeter showed a correlation of 0.63 with leg fat by DEXA and subcutaneous fat by CT scan had a correlation of 0.57 with the sum of skinfolds (0.69 in men).
 
Conclusions: Some but not all relevant parameters of body composition can be accurately assessed by office-based inexpensive methods in HIV-positive patients. Subcutaneous fat values are more precisely predicted in men.