Breast enlargement (gynaecomastia) can be found in men taking all classes of antiretroviral drugs, and is not a protease inhibitor-specific effect, according to a review of 11 cases seen at the Chelsea and Westminster Hospital in London.
The researchers used breast ultrasonography to assess the nature of breast swelling in 11 men who developed breast tissue changes whilst taking antiretroviral therapy. The breast changes did not appear to be related to fat deposition; instead, researchers labelled these cases `true' gynaecomastia because they were caused by glandular enlargement. However, the cause of the changes in glandular tissue is unclear, because levels of male and female hormones were normal in 11 patients (abstract 38).
Qazi NM et al. True gynaecomastia is not a form of lipodystrophy and can occur with all classes of antiretrovirals. Sixth Annual Conference of the British HIV Association (BHIVA), abstract P38, 2000.