Efficacy and Safety of Tesamorelin in People Living With HIV (PLWH) With Lipodystrophy: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

Ditta AM, Naeem RM, Sami MM, Abdul Rafey M, Ali H, Amjad MW, Jahangir F, Rizvi KA, Mohammad F, Abu Dawood H, Suleman M, Saddique MN

Journal of the International Association of Providers of AIDS Care1 Jan 2026

PMID42538058PMCIDPMC13428105DOI10.1177/23259582261475549PepBankPUB-42538058

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Summary

The text of this summary is not shown here, because the article license does not allow reuse. Read it at the source (opens in a new tab)

Text rights: CC BY-NC. Results still quote short attributed sentences.

Results from this study7

7 results from studies that gave the peptide. 7 results from people.

01HumanSystematic reviewEfficacy outcome
In people living with HIV and lipodystrophy, tesamorelin 2 mg significantly reduced visceral adipose tissue in a meta-analysis of randomized trials.
In plain wordsIn people with HIV and fat redistribution, tesamorelin 2 mg reduced belly (visceral) fat.
Peptide
Tesamorelin
Outcome
DecreaseVisceral adipose tissue change (2 mg)
Study
n: not reported in source
Outcome group
Body weight · Metabolic and weight
Studied dose
2 mgAs given in this study (human).
Measurements
MD visceral adipose tissue
−21.47
tesamorelin 2 mg
Source sentences
Summary
visceral adipose tissue (MD= -21.47, 95%CI[-34.73,-8.22],I²=74%,p=0.002)
1 context sentence(design, population, supporting numbers)
Summary · context
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.
Report a problemFND-4253805801
02HumanSystematic reviewEfficacy outcome
In people living with HIV and lipodystrophy, tesamorelin 2 mg significantly reduced waist circumference in a meta-analysis of randomized trials.
In plain wordsIn people with HIV and fat redistribution, tesamorelin 2 mg reduced waist size.
Peptide
Tesamorelin
Outcome
DecreaseWaist circumference change (2 mg)
Study
n: not reported in source
Outcome group
Body weight · Metabolic and weight
Studied dose
2 mgAs given in this study (human).
Measurements
MD waist circumference
−1.61 cm
tesamorelin 2 mg
Source sentences
Summary
waist circumference (MD-1.61cm,95% CI[-2.28,-0.95],I²=0%,p<0.00001)
1 context sentence(design, population, supporting numbers)
Summary · context
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.
Report a problemFND-4253805802
03HumanSystematic reviewEfficacy outcome
In people living with HIV and lipodystrophy, tesamorelin 2 mg significantly reduced trunk fat in a meta-analysis of randomized trials.
In plain wordsIn people with HIV and fat redistribution, tesamorelin 2 mg reduced trunk fat.
Peptide
Tesamorelin
Outcome
DecreaseTrunk fat change (2 mg)
Study
n: not reported in source
Outcome group
Body weight · Metabolic and weight
Studied dose
2 mgAs given in this study (human).
Measurements
MD trunk fat
−1.2 kg
tesamorelin 2 mg
Source sentences
Summary
trunk fat (MD-1.20kg, 95%CI[-1.47,-0.93],I²=0%,p<0.00001)
1 context sentence(design, population, supporting numbers)
Summary · context
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.
Report a problemFND-4253805803
04HumanSystematic reviewEfficacy outcome
In people living with HIV and lipodystrophy, tesamorelin 2 mg significantly increased lean body mass in a meta-analysis of randomized trials.
In plain wordsIn people with HIV and fat redistribution, tesamorelin 2 mg increased lean body mass.
Peptide
Tesamorelin
Outcome
IncreaseLean body mass change (2 mg)
Study
n: not reported in source
Outcome group
Body weight · Metabolic and weight
Studied dose
2 mgAs given in this study (human).
Measurements
MD lean body mass
1.42 kg
tesamorelin 2 mg
Source sentences
Summary
increased lean body mass (MD1.42kg,95% CI[1.13,1.71],I²=0%,p<0.00001)
1 context sentence(design, population, supporting numbers)
Summary · context
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.
Report a problemFND-4253805804
05HumanSystematic reviewEfficacy outcome
In people living with HIV and lipodystrophy, tesamorelin was associated with a modest reduction in total cholesterol.
In plain wordsIn people with HIV and fat redistribution, tesamorelin was linked to a modest drop in total cholesterol.
Peptide
Tesamorelin
Outcome
DecreaseTotal cholesterol change
Study
n: not reported in source
Outcome group
Lipids · Metabolic and weight
Studied dose
Dose not stated
Measurements
MD total cholesterol
−0.16 mmol/L
tesamorelin
Source sentences
Summary
Modest lipid improvements occurred in total cholesterol (MD-0.16mmol/L,95%CI[-0.27,-0.06],I²=0%,p=0.003).
1 context sentence(design, population, supporting numbers)
Summary · context
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.
Report a problemFND-4253805805
06HumanSystematic reviewSafety outcome
In people living with HIV and lipodystrophy, growth hormone-related adverse effects were observed with tesamorelin.
In plain wordsIn people with HIV and fat redistribution, tesamorelin was linked to side effects related to growth hormone.
Peptide
Tesamorelin
Outcome
IncreaseGrowth hormone-related adverse effects
Study
n: not reported in source
Outcome group
Adverse events · Whole body
Studied dose
Dose not stated
Source sentences
Summary
Growth hormone-related adverse effects
1 context sentence(design, population, supporting numbers)
Summary · context
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.
Report a problemFND-4253805806
07HumanSystematic reviewSafety outcome
In people living with HIV and lipodystrophy, discontinuation rates were reported as higher with tesamorelin, but the difference was not statistically significant (RR 2.25, p=0.06).
In plain wordsIn people with HIV and fat redistribution, more people stopped tesamorelin than the comparison, but the difference was not statistically significant.
Peptide
Tesamorelin
Outcome
No significant changeDiscontinuation rate
Study
n: not reported in source
Outcome group
Adverse events · Whole body
Studied dose
Dose not stated
Measurements
RR discontinuation
2.25 ratio
tesamorelin
Source sentences
Summary
higher discontinuation rates (RR2.25,95%CI[0.98,5.17],p=0.06)
1 context sentence(design, population, supporting numbers)
Summary · context
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.
Report a problemFND-4253805807

AI wrote and checked these results. AI can make mistakes, so check important results against the source.

Version history

PepBank keeps every version of the data on this study. Status changes from Retraction Watch, Europe PMC and Crossref are listed with their source.

Version 2Current
9 Oct 2026, 19:08 UTC
Study results updated
Version 1
9 Oct 2026, 03:13 UTC
First added · source update from Europe PMC

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