For many HIVers, antiretroviral-related fat loss from the limbs, buttocks, and face is a visible scarlet letter of HIV infection and a reason for some to willingly abandon otherwise effective medication regimens. But data presented at the 16th Conference on Retroviruses and Opportunistic Infections indicates that Avandia (rosiglitazone), a commonly used diabetes treatment, can reverse lipoatrophy. Study participants who took 4 milligrams of Avandia twice daily for 48 weeks posted an average 15% increase in limb fat, compared to 5% increases for those taking a placebo. Avandia users also saw improvements in insulin resistance.
