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Treatment with protease inhibitors associated with peripheral insulin resistance and impaired oral glucose tolerance in HIV‐1‐infected patients

Background:The use of protease inhibitors in the treatment of HIV-1 infection is associated with the new onset of diabetes mellitus, hyperlipidaemia and lipodystrophy. It is unclear whether these findings are coincidental or whether they reflect a causative effect of protease inhibitors. Objective:To evaluate the effect of treatment with protease inhibitors on insulin sensitivity, oral glucose tolerance and serum lipids in HIV-infected patients in order to determine whether treatment with protease inhibitors can cause peripheral insulin resistance. Design:Cross-sectional controlled study in HIV-infected patients treated with protease inhibitors to assess insulin sensitivity, oral glucose tolerance and changes in serum lipids. Methods:Sixty-seven patients treated with protease inhibitors, 13 therapy-naive patients and 18 HIV-negative control subjects were tested for insulin sensitivity (intravenous insulin tolerance test). In a subgroup of 24 treated patients, oral glucose tolerance was determined. Serum lipids prior to and under treatment with protease inhibitors were compared. Results:Patients on protease inhibitors had a significantly decreased insulin sensitivity when compared with therapy-naive patients (median, 75 and 156 μmol/l/min, respectively; p <0.001). All treated patients with impaired (n = 4) or diabetic (n = 9) oral glucose tolerance, and four out of 11 patients with normal glucose tolerance showed peripheral insulin resistance; all therapy-naive patients had normal insulin sensitivity. Treatment with protease inhibitors led to a significant increase in total triglycerides and cholesterol in the 67 treated patients (median increase, 113 and 37 mg/ml, respectively). Conclusion:Treatment with protease inhibitors is associated with peripheral insulin resistance, leading to impaired or diabetic oral glucose tolerance in some of the patients, and with hyperlipidaemia. Overall, there is a large variation in the severity and clinical presentation of protease inhibitor-associated metabolic side-effects.