Interactions among sex, HIV infection, and fat redistribution

The interactions among sex, HIV infection, and body fat redistribution are uncertain. We retrospectively compared total, subcutaneous, and visceral adipose tissue (TAT, SAT, VAT) contents, as determined by whole body MRI, in 85 HIV-infected persons, including 48 HIV-positive persons with self-reported changes in body shape, and matched healthy controls. The effect of sex on regional fat contents differed among HIV-infected persons with and without self-reported changes in body shape. Women without changes had significantly less SAT and TAT than did controls, while men with changes had significantly less SAT and TAT than did controls. Higher contents of VAT were found in both men and women with self-reported changes in body shape.