Klos B, Patel P, Rose C, et al. - Given an inverse correlation between adiponectin levels and cardiovascular risk and that adiponectin levels are low in diabetics and obese persons, researchers investigated how adiponectin concentration is related with HIV-associated lipodystrophy. In a prospective cohort study of HIV-infected adults, the Study to Understand the Natural History of HIV/AIDS in the Era of Effective Therapy (SUN) conducted in four US cities, 440 male participants were included (median age 42 years; 68% non-Hispanic white; 88% prescribed combination antiretroviral therapy). median concentrations of leptin and adiponectin were 3.04 ng/ and 8,005 μg/mL, respectively. Analysis revealed increasing age, adiponectin < 8,005 μg/mL, ever stavudine use, CD4 cell count > 500 cells/μL, viral load < 400 copies/mL, highly sensitive C-reactive protein < 1.61 mg/L and smoking were significantly related to lipodystrophy. Men in this HIV-infected cohort showed a prevalence of lipodystrophy comparable to that previously estimated for persons living with HIV. Lipodystrophy was noted to be correlated with lower adiponectin levels, potentially showing heightened cardiovascular disease risk.