Metabolism lipoatrophy

Dyslipidemia is a common accompaniment of the lipodystrophy syndrome observed in HIV-infected patients. This syndrome presents as a combination of peripheral lipoatrophy and the metabolic syndrome (central adiposity, insulin resistance, and dyslipidemia). The term lipodystrophy syndrome was first used in two case reports to describe a clinical picture of subcutaneous fat wasting in the face and limbs of HIV infected patients treated with indinavir, reminiscent of the rare congenital lipodystrophy syndromes (138,139). In addition, benign symmetric lipomatoses on the trunk and neck were described. A systematic study of this syndrome in the Australian HIV cohort showed co-existence of peripheral lipoatrophy with abdominal visceral obesity, dyslipidemia, and insulin resistance in HIV-infected patients with or without treatment with protease inhibitors (140). 

Other adverse reactions to insulin are lipodystrophy (atrophy or hypertrophy) at the injection sites (rare with purified pork and human insulin), after they have been used repeatedly. These are unsightly, but otherwise harmless. The site should not be used further, for absorption can be erratic, but the patient may be tempted to continue if local anaesthesia has developed, as it sometimes does. Lipoatrophy is probably allergic and lipohypertrophy is due to a local metabolic action of insulin. Local allergy also is marrifested as itching or painful red lumps. 

Both pork and human insulin are definitively less immunogenic than beef insulin, producing fewer circulating insulin antibodies, but several studies have indicated no detectable change in antibody concentrations on switching from pork to human insulin or vice versa. Antibodies cause lipoatrophy and are responsible for the substantial insulin resistance seen in some patients, but both events are rare now that purified pork insulin is in common use. Interest has recently been revived in the possible contribution of antibodies in modifying metabolic control. In the short term and under hospital conditions, they are known to prolong the intravenous half-life of injected insulin and to delay the appearance in the circulation of a subcutaneously administered bolus dose. 

Metabolism Improvement in lipodystrophy and lipoatrophy upon withdrawal of sfavudine therapy has been reported in 22.9% of 205 children at a mean of 45.6monfhs after discontinuation of sfavudine [168 ]. 

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