The relationship between lipodystrophy-associated body changes and measures of quality of life and mental health for HIV-positive adults.
OBJECTIVE
To investigate the relationship between lipodystrophy-specific symptom severity and wellbeing.


METHODS
HIV-positive adult patients with body fat redistribution (lipodystrophy syndrome) associated with antiretroviral therapy reported their total non-lipodystrophy symptoms and side effects and completed measures assessing body fat changes (yielding Atrophy, Hypertrophy and Total Lipodystrophy scores), mental health and quality of life. Effects of total symptom complex and lipodystrophy severity on quality of life and mental health were analyzed using Spearman's rho correlations. Logistic regression analyses were utilized to determine the relative-odds of depression produced by overall symptom count and lipodystrophy score increments.


RESULTS
Mean ratings for Hypertrophy and Atrophy corresponded to 'very mild' and 'mild' degrees of severity, respectively. The total symptom complex was associated with ratings for most of the mental health and quality of life measures. Patient-perceived body image scores were the sole study variable responsive to lipodystrophy severity ratings. In comparison to reference norms, a pronounced degree of body image impairment was evident.


CONCLUSIONS
Although responsive to the total symptom profile, psychosocial measures typically utilized for evaluating quality of life and mental health status in HIV disease lacked sensitivity and specificity for measuring the consequences of lipodystrophy-associated fat distribution changes alone. Lipodystrophy severity did impact negatively on body image.
Burgoyne
Robert
R
Toronto General Hospital Immunodeficiency Clinic, Ontario, Canada. bob.burgoyne@uhn.on.ca
Collins
Evan
E
Wagner
Cheryl
C
Abbey
Susan
S
Halman
Mark
M
Nur
Margaret
M
Walmsley
Sharon
S
D000328:Adult; D001828:Body Image; D005260:Female; D006679:HIV Seropositivity; D039682:HIV-Associated Lipodystrophy Syndrome / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000523:psychology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009864:Ontario; D011788:Quality of Life; D018434:Sickness Impact Profile