| Abstract: | Background To determine circulating levels of adipocytokines, especially the recently characterized visfatin, and the fat‐derived factor retinol‐binding protein‐4 (RBP‐4) in HIV‐infected subjects and their respective changes following treatment with highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART). Materials and methods Fourteen HIV‐positive, HAART‐naïve subjects were compared with 10 HIV‐negative healthy controls and reassessed after a 1‐year treatment with HAART. Plasma visfatin and RBP‐4 were determined by ELISA, whereas leptin and adiponectin by RIA. Body composition was measured with dual X‐ray absorptiometry (DXA). Homeostasis model assessment (HOMA‐IR) was assessed using insulin and glucose levels. Results Visfatin and RBP‐4 levels in HIV‐positive subjects were comparable with those of HIV‐negative controls before treatment with HAART. Treatment with HAART for 12 months resulted in a 6·9‐fold and 7·1‐fold increase of visfatin and RBP‐4 levels (+54·0 ± 9·7 ng mL?1, P < 0·0001 and +95·3 ± 31·7 ng mL?1, P < 0·01), respectively. Leptin (?2·7 ± 1·6 ng mL?1, P = 0·054) was unchanged and adiponectin (?2·8 ± 0·7 µg mL?1, P < 0·01) decreased. Changes of visfatin concentrations correlated significantly with the increases of RBP‐4 (r = 0·78, P = 0·001), fat‐free mass (FFM, r = 0·75, P < 0·05) and change of HOMA‐IR (r = 0·64, P < 0·05). Parameters of glucose metabolism and body fat mass were unchanged during the observation period. Conclusions Treatment with HAART induced a pronounced increase of plasma visfatin and RBP‐4 as well as a decrease of adiponectin in HIV‐infected patients on HAART. Although body weight, fat mass and parameters of glucose metabolism remained stable, the changes in the adipocytokines might herald subsequent alterations of these parameters. |
