Primary Outcome Measures:
- Change in bone densitometry (DEXA)-measured limb fat [ Time Frame: Through Week 48 ] [ Designated as safety issue: No ]
Secondary Outcome Measures:
- Signs and symptoms, laboratory-based toxicity, and discontinuation rates of the regimens [ Time Frame: Throughout study ] [ Designated as safety issue: Yes ]
- Change in DEXA-measured limb fat [ Time Frame: Through Week 24 ] [ Designated as safety issue: No ]
- Change in HIV RNA and CD4 count [ Time Frame: Through Week 48 ] [ Designated as safety issue: No ]
- Change in level of venous lactate [ Time Frame: Through Week 48 ] [ Designated as safety issue: No ]
- Change in level of fasting lipids [ Time Frame: Through Week 48 ] [ Designated as safety issue: No ]
- Change in level of plasma F2 isoprostanes, PBMC MDA and common deletion mitochondrial DNA [ Time Frame: Through Week 48 ] [ Designated as safety issue: No ]
- Change in level of fasting glucose and insulin [ Time Frame: Through Week 48 ] [ Designated as safety issue: No ]
- Change in PBMC mitochondrial DNA [ Time Frame: Through Week 48 ] [ Designated as safety issue: No ]
- Change in PBMC endogenous nucleoside pools [ Time Frame: Through Week 48 ] [ Designated as safety issue: No ]
- Change in hemoglobin, leukocytes, and creatine kinase [ Time Frame: Through Week 48 ] [ Designated as safety issue: No ]
Lipoatrophy is a distressing long-term complication of ART and is associated with decreased quality of life, an increased risk of cardiovascular disease, and nonadherence to ART. The cause of lipoatrophy in HIV infected individuals receiving ART is not completely understood; however, research suggests that mitochondrial toxicity in subcutaneous adipose tissue caused by thymidine analogue nucleoside analogues may be responsible for the development of lipoatrophy.
Uridine is a nucleoside that has been shown to be an effective supplement in treating individuals with mitochondrial toxicity. NucleomaxX is a food supplement that consists of mitocnol, a sugar cane extract that has a high content of nucleosides, including uridine. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the effects of uridine supplementation in the form of NucleomaxX on limb fat in HIV infected individuals receiving stable ART containing stavudine (d4T) or zidovudine (ZDV). In addition, this study will evaluate the safety and tolerability of NucleomaxX.
This study will last 48 weeks. Participants will be randomly assigned to 1 of 2 arms. Arm A participants will receive NucleomaxX, while Arm B participants will receive a placebo. Participants in both arms will receive their assigned intervention three times per day, every other day, for the duration of the study. There will be 8 study visits over the 48-week study. Blood collection and a physical exam will occur at all study visits; participants will complete an adherence assessment at most visits. Participants will undergo dual energy X-ray absorptiometry scans (DEXA) within 14 days prior to or following the screening visit and at other selected visits. Specific fasting tests for glucose and lipid levels will occur at selected visits. ART will not be provided by this study.