What this means
Four trials with 909 people found tesamorelin lowered belly fat and waist size. Long-term safety and how long the benefit lasts are still unclear.
Plain-English summary written by an AI model from the abstract. The original is below.
- Who it was tested in
- 909 people with HIV in 4 randomized trials
- Kind of research
- A summary of earlier studies
The science
- Original title
- Efficacy and Safety of Tesamorelin in People Living With HIV (PLWH) With Lipodystrophy: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.
- Authors
- Ditta AM, Naeem RM, Sami MM et al.
- Journal
- Journal of the International Association of Providers of AIDS Care
- Published
- Jul 31, 2026
- Study type
- Review · in humans
- PMID
- 42538058 ↗
Abstract
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.
Ditta AM, Naeem RM, Sami MM et al. Efficacy and Safety of Tesamorelin in People Living With HIV (PLWH) With Lipodystrophy: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. Journal of the International Association of Providers of AIDS Care. 2026. doi:10.1177/23259582261475549. PMID: 42538058. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/42538058/
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