The effect of weight loss on survival time occurs even if these men regain some of their lost weight. AIDS-related health problems, such as infections, are not the only factor, according to Neil Graham, M.D., associate professor of epidemiology and senior author of the paper.
Metabolic rate is the speed with which the body burns up food.
Severe diarrhea and opportunistic infections that strike AIDS patients whose immune systems are crippled can overwhelm the person's ability to maintain their weight, Graham says. This new research shows that moderate weight loss in infected individuals prior to AIDS can also predict shorter survival. The wasting syndrome caused by the high metabolic rate is somehow driven by the interaction of the immune system with the AIDS virus, according to Graham. So developing a treatment that blocks or destroys TNF might help prevent wasting. The study was supported by the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases.