Metformin Is an Effective Therapy for the HIV Lipodystrophy Syndrome

Lipodystrophy has been called the new AIDS stigmata, because many HIV-infected individuals on combination antiretroviral therapy develop this syndrome of fat redistribution accompanied by insulin resistance. The syndrome is manifested by a loss of facial and extremity fat and an accumulation of truncal fat. To determine the efficacy and safety of treatment with metformin, these investigators performed a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial of this therapy in 26 patients.

Patients received either 500 mg of metformin or placebo twice daily for 3 months. Metformin-treated patients showed statistically significant reductions in insulin on an oral glucose tolerance test and reductions in weight and diastolic blood pressure. A trend …