Efficacy and Safety of Tesamorelin in People Living With HIV (PLWH) With Lipodystrophy: A Systematic Review and...

BackgroundHIV-associated lipodystrophy, a complication of combined antiretroviral therapy (CART), causes significant physical and psychological distress in people living with HIV (PLWH), compromising treatment adherence. Tesamorelin, a growth hormone-releasing hormone (GHRH) analogue, has emerged as a therapeutic option.ObjectiveTo systematically evaluate the efficacy and safety of tesamorelin in HIV-infected individuals with lipodystrophy receiving CART, incorporating GRADE assessment.MethodsWe searched PubMed, https://ClinicalTrials.gov, and Scopus from inception to February 9, 2026, for randomized controlled trials evaluating tesamorelin in HIV-associated lipodystrophy. Mean differences (MD) and risk ratios (RR) with 95% confidence intervals (CI) were calculated using random-effects models with heterogeneity assessed by I².ResultsFour RCTs (909 patients) were included. Tesamorelin 2mg significantly reduced visceral adipose tissue (MD= -21.47, 95%CI[-34.73,-8.22],I²=74%,p=0.002), waist circumference (MD-1.61cm,95% CI[-2.28,-0.95],I²=0%,p<0.00001), trunk fat (MD-1.20kg, 95%CI[-1.47,-0.93],I²=0%,p<0.00001), and increased lean body mass (MD1.42kg,95% CI[1.13,1.71],I²=0%,p<0.00001). Modest lipid improvements occurred in total cholesterol (MD-0.16mmol/L,95%CI[-0.27,-0.06],I²=0%,p=0.003). Growth hormone-related adverse effects and higher discontinuation rates (RR2.25,95%CI[0.98,5.17],p=0.06) were observed.ConclusionsTesamorelin demonstrates efficacy in reducing visceral adiposity in PLWH with lipodystrophy on CART. However, limited data on long-term safety, optimal dosing strategies, and durability of treatment effects warrant caution. Future research should evaluate extended treatment duration, dose-response relationships, and patient-reported outcomes to establish comprehensive clinical utility.