The aim of this study was to compare the prevalence of
metabolic syndrome and
insulin resistance in HIV-positive patients with and without
HAART and healthy HIV-negative controls. In total 357 subjects were examined: 56 HIV-positive
HAART-naïve, 207 HIV-positive on
HAART treatment and 94 HIV-negative controls. We measured blood pressure, abdominal circumference, weight and height, and fasting serum levels of
glucose,
insulin and
lipids in all the subjects. The presence of
lipodystrophy was assessed in the
HAART-treated patients. In non-
overweight subjects the prevalence of the
metabolic syndrome was 15% (25 of 162) in
HAART-treated patients, 2% (1 of 44) in
HAART-naïve (p=0.019) and 2% (1 of 45) in controls (p=0.020). The prevalence of
insulin resistance in non-
overweight subjects was also higher in
HAART-treated than in controls, 39% vs 18% (p=0.012) but similar to
HAART-naïve, 32% (p = 0.48 vs
HAART, p = 0.22 vs controls). In non-
overweight patients with
lipodystrophy the
metabolic syndrome was diagnosed in 21% and
insulin resistance in 49%. In the entire
HAART group 25% had the
metabolic syndrome and/or
insulin resistance without having
lipodystrophy. We conclude that fasting
glucose,
HDL-cholesterol,
triglycerides and blood pressure should be closely monitored in all
HAART-treated patients, not only in overweighed or lipodystrophic individuals.