Factors associated with severe impact of lipodystrophy on the quality of life of patients infected with HIV-1

Clin Infect Dis. 2004 May 15;38(10):1464-70. doi: 10.1086/383573. Epub 2004 Apr 26.

Abstract

A standardized questionnaire was used to assess the impact of lipodystrophy (LD) on quality of life (QoL). Eighty-four consecutive asymptomatic human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1)-infected outpatients with clinical LD completed a modified version of the Dermatology Life Quality Index (DLQI) survey to measure the impact of body fat changes on their QoL. Body changes influenced dressing for 55 patients (65%), produced feelings of shame for 41 (49%), and disrupted sexual life for 23 (27%). There was a greater impact on the DLQI due to body changes among women, injection drug users, patients with abdominal or breast lipoaccumulation, and patients with a high number of non-LD side effects. Multivariate proportional odds model analysis showed that the severity of non-LD-associated side effects and the presence of breast lipoaccumulation were associated with impaired psychosocial functioning. Specific characteristics of patients, antiretroviral-based side effects, and breast lipoaccumulation exert a greater impact on QoL in HIV-1-infected patients with LD.

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Female
  • HIV Infections / complications*
  • HIV Infections / physiopathology
  • HIV Infections / psychology
  • HIV-1
  • Humans
  • Lipodystrophy / etiology*
  • Lipodystrophy / physiopathology
  • Lipodystrophy / psychology
  • Male
  • Multivariate Analysis
  • Quality of Life*