A small French study has found that reducing fat and
sugar intake may reduce dangerously high triglyceride levels in people with HIV
receiving protease inhibitor treatment.
20 patients with average triglyceride levels of 20
micomols/litre (the risk of pancreatitis increases dramatically when
trigylcerides rise above 10 mmol/l) followed low sugar, low fat diets
recommended by dietitians for six months. 85% experienced reductions to less
than 10 mmol/l (mean reduction 12.8mmol/l).
However, an Australian study found no relationship
between dietary fat intake and fat redistribution in people taking protease
inhibitors, despite substantial differences in fat intake between people taking
indinavir and people taking other protease inhibitors (which must be taken with
high fat meals).
Other studies presented at the Cannes meeting showed
that:
- Atorvastatin, a lipid lowering drug, reduced total
cholesterol, and LDL (bad) cholesterol in 12 people taking protease inhibitors
after 8 weeks of treatment, taking people out of the danger zone for heart
problems induced by very high cholesterol levels.
- Metformin, an anti-diabetes drug, can reduce insulin
resistance temporarily, but is not associated with reductions in fat
abnormalities after six months of treatment
Detailed reports from the Cannes Nutrition in HIV
Infection conference are available from the International Association of
Physicians in AIDS Care at < href="http://www.iapac.org/nutritionidx.html">http://www.iapac.org/nutritionidx.html#cannes99
and < href="http://www.thebody.com/confs/nutrition99/nutrition99.html">http://www.thebody.com/confs/nutrition99/nutrition99.html face=Arial size=4>