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January 27, 2010

Genetic marker predicts fat loss due to d4T in Thai patients

"A genetic marker can predict with a high level of accuracy whether Thai patients receiving antiretroviral therapy that contains d4T (stavudine) will develop lipoatrophy (subcutaneous fat loss) as a result of treatment, researchers from Thailand and Japan report in Clinical Infectious Diseases this week.

"Lipoatrophy – fat loss from the limbs, face and buttocks - is a frequent side-effect of antiretroviral therapy that contains d4T, and to a lesser extent AZT (zidovudine).

"Around 40% of patients develop this side-effect after two to three years of treatment, and for this reason d4T has been dropped as a component of first-line treatment in Europe, North America and other well-resourced settings."

Read more in Aidsmap, January 26, 2010.

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