A study published in the print issue of Neurology®, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology, suggests that a larger waistline may be associated with a greater risk of decreased mental functioning in HIV-positive individuals.
J. Allen McCutchan, M.D., MSc, of the University of California, San Diego, and lead researcher of the study, explained:
“Interestingly, bigger waistlines were linked to decreased mental functioning more than was general obesity. This is important because certain anti-HIV drugs cause weight gain in the center of the body that is most dramatic in the abdomen, neck, chest, and breasts.”
The researchers enrolled 130 HIV-positive individuals, approximately 46 years of age, with HIV infection for an average of 13 years from six clinics to participate in the study. The majority of participants were taking combinations of anti-HIV medications called antiretroviral therapy. 40% of study participants were diagnosed with impaired mental functions, such as poor memory and concentration, called neurocognitive impairment (NCI).
Compared to participants without memory difficulties, they found that those with NCI had larger waist circumferences (average of 35 inches vs. 39 inches, respectively). In addition, NCI was associated to diabetes in individuals aged 55+, older age, and a longer time living with HIV. For instance, 15% of people with memory problems also had diabetes compared with 3% of individuals with no memory problems.
McCutchan, explained:
“Avoiding those HIV drugs that cause larger waistlines might protect or help reverse NCI. We don’t know if central obesity is causing NCI directly or is just a marker for exposure to a more direct cause such as anti-HIV drugs. People with HIV should talk to their doctors before considering changes in their anti-HIV medications.”
The National Institutes of Health funded the investigation.
To learn more about cognitive impairment, click here.
Written by Grace Rattue