Long-term subcutaneous tissue changes among antiretroviral-naive persons initiating stavudine, zidovudine, or abacavir with lamivudine.

OBJECTIVES: To assess long-term changes in subcutaneous tissue among antiretroviral-naive persons initiating 1 of 3 nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitor (NRTI)-containing regimens.

METHODS: We compared changes in 308 participants initiating stavudine plus lamivudine (d4T+3TC; N = 63), zidovudine plus lamivudine (ZDV+3TC; N = 192), and abacavir plus lamivudine (ABC+3TC; N = 53), along with protease inhibitors and/or non-NRTIs. Anthropometric measurements (skinfolds) were performed at baseline and 4-month intervals. Rates of change (mm/y) over 36 months, for the early period (months 4 through 12) and late period (months 16 through 36), were calculated.

RESULTS: The rates were negative (tissue loss) for the abdomen and thigh (d4T+3TC, ZDV+3TC) and triceps (ZDV+3TC) skinfolds. For ABC+3TC, most rates were positive (tissue gain). No differences among regimens were seen for the rates of change in the subscapular or suprascapular skinfolds. Rates in the early period were generally positive. The late period rates were negative for d4T+3TC and ZDV+3TC and significantly different from 0 for the abdomen and thigh (d4T+3TC, ZDV+3TC) and triceps (ZDV+3TC) skinfolds, whereas ABC+3TC had less loss in the late period. Most early versus late differences were significant for d4T+3TC and ZDV+3TC; only the triceps skinfold was significant for ABC+3TC.

CONCLUSIONS: In this prospective nonrandomized evaluation, subcutaneous tissue changes varied by regimen. Similar losses were demonstrated for d4T+3TC and ZDV+3TC, whereas ABC+3TC had gains. Temporal differences in rates for d4T+3TC and ZDV+3TC suggest initial recovery followed by long-term treatment effect.