People with HIV who start treatment with Truvada (tenofovir/emtricitabine) post similar overall fat gains whether they pair the combination tablet with Isentress (raltegravir) or protease inhibitors, MedPage Today reports. However, it is unclear whether the increase in body fat is a side effect of the antiretrovirals or a result of suppressing high viral loads.

Researchers randomized 328 treatment-naive, HIV-positive study participants to start treatment with Truvada plus Isentress, Norvir (ritonavir)–boosted Reyataz (atazanavir) or Norvir–boosted Prezista (darunavir).

After two years of treatment, the participants experienced median increases of 8.2 percent in limb fat, 10.9 percent in subcutaneous abdominal fat, 13.9 percent in visceral abdominal fat, 11.4 percent in trunk fat and 1.4 in lean mass. These increases were similar across the three treatment groups.

To read the MedPage Today story, click here.

To read the conference abstract, click here.