ABSTRACT
HIV-associated lipodystrophy is an as yet undefined syndrome that may include hypertriglyceridemia, insulin resistance, diabetes, dorsocervical fat accumulation (buffalo hump), central visceral adiposity, and lipoatrophy, including thinning of the extremities, buttocks and face with sunken cheeks, and temporal wasting. It is unclear if a single disorder of lipid metabolism is responsible for the heterogeneity of findings. HIV lipodystrophy may represent a variety of different metabolic disorders, each with different pathophysiological mechanisms. This chapter will focus on the etiology and treatment of HIV-associated lipoatrophy as a distinct entity.
