The lead doctor on this study is testing a theory that all of the side effects are related directly to protease inhibitors. HIV protease, which is the part of HIV that protease inhibitors block, has similarities to proteins in the body that help with processing fats. If protease inhibitors are blocking these natural proteins, it may explain the side effects described above. A study looking at this possibility is ongoing, and results should be available within a few months. Exactly how many people taking protease inhibitors will have changes in body shape is not clear, because different studies used different methods to decide if body shape had changed.
Self report means that people reported to the doctors if they noticed changes in their body shape.
Since people usually spot changes in body shape easily, self report seems to be a good way of collecting information on lipodystrophy. Other studies used various lab measurements which give different results. Other differences between studies may be because of how long people had been taking protease inhibitors. Symptoms of lipodystrophy usually show up as a long-term side effect. A study by a team of researchers in Rhode Island looked at lipodystrophy in women.