Lipodystrophy and quality of life in HIV: symptom management issues

The purpose of this study was to examine the incidence and prevalence of lipodystrophy-related symptoms in persons with HIV ( n = 165) and to determine the impact of these symptoms on health-related quality of life. Since the introduction of highly active antiretroviral therapy in HIV, the quality of life of persons is affected across the spectrum of the disease. The sample was composed of 165 persons from three national outpatient HIV settings (clinics and community-based organizations) in Boston, MA, Fresno, CA, and Victoria, TX. The descriptive, cross-sectional study included self-report instruments measuring lipodystrophy-associated symptom presence, intensity, and quality of life. The sample was primarily male (75.8%), with ethnicity represented across several groups including African American (30.9%), Hispanic/Latino (26.7%), White/Anglo (38.8%), Native American/Indian (1.8%), and other (1.8%). On quality-of-life measures, only 7.9% of the sample indicated excellent health, 28.5% indicated very good health, 22.4% indicated good health, and more than 40% indicated fair or poor health. Most of the participants indicated that aspects of their quality of life have equally good and bad parts (37.6%). Quality of life was significantly correlated with adequacy of income ( r = .241, p = .002), most recent CD4 count ( r = -.276, p = .012), and most recent viral load value ( r = .379, p = .019). In addition, bodily pain was significantly correlated with most recent CD4 count ( r = -.312, p = .004) and with lowest CD4 count ( r = -.191, p = .050). The results of the study indicate that quality of life is affected by HIV symptoms and that lipodystrophy-related symptoms may negatively affect quality of life.