Science has come a long way since the first HIV diagnosis was made in 1981. From a disease against which nothing could be done, HIV is nowadays mostly considered a chronic condition. But the fight against HIV is anything but over. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimates that 1.2 million Americans live with HIV. Annually, approximately 38,000 people are diagnosed with HIV. Male-to-male sexual contacts represent two thirds of HIV transmissions but heterosexual contacts account for 25 percent of new HIV diagnosis. African and Hispanic Americans are disproportionately affected by HIV, with 69% of new diagnosis annually.
People living with HIV are often affected by other ailments and conditions such as lipodystrophy. Lipodystrophy is characterized by the redistribution of fat, including the accumulation and loss of fat in certain parts of the human body. The excess fat in the abdomen exerts pressure in the abdomen on the internal organs. The consequences of lipodystrophy are therefore numerous and serious. In fact, we now know that lipodystrophy is often the starting point of an even more serious condition called Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease or NAFLD which, in turn, can lead to Non Alcoholic Steatohepatitis or NASH, cirrhosis and liver failure. Many patients migrate from lipodystrophy to NASH over time. NAFLD and NASH are known to cause serious metabolic disorders along with an inflammation cascade which leads to long-term damage to the liver due to the formation of scar tissue.