The impact of body composition analysis in HIV-infected patients: quantifying therapeutic effects

Despite intensive antiretroviral therapies including protease inhibitors AIDS wasting syndrome is still a clinical problem. In 1997 it was the second most frequent AIDS indicator condition (18%) in the United States and probably the most frequent clinical feature of AIDS in developing countries. Malnutrition is associated with decreased quality of life psychosocial function muscle function and leads to increased morbidity and mortality. HIV-associated malnutrition may have many causes including anorexia fatigue depression gastrointestinal disease or metabolic disturbance all of which cause a negative energy balance. Cachexia can also be observed in cancer tuberculosis and other chronic and infectious disease and for a long time it has been considered to be inevitable consequences of these conditions. Therapeutic nihilism is common. (excerpt)