• Carl Grunfeld, Donald P Kotler, Adrian Dobs, Marshall Glesby, and Shalender Bhasin.
• University of California-San Francisco, and Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center, 4150 Clement Street, San Francisco, CA 94121, USA. grunfld@itsa.ucsf.edu
• J. Acquir. Immune Defic. Syndr. 2006 Mar 1; 41 (3): 304-14.

ObjectiveTo evaluate the efficacy and safety of oxandrolone in promoting body weight and body cell mass (BCM) gain in HIV-associated weight loss.MethodsRandomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial. Two hundred sixty-two HIV-infected men with documented 10% to 20% weight loss or body mass index < or =20 kg/m were randomized to placebo or to 20, 40, or 80 mg of oxandrolone daily. After 12 weeks, subjects were allowed to receive open-label oxandrolone at a dose of 20 mg for another 12 weeks.ResultsBody weight increased in all groups, including the group receiving placebo, during the double-blind phase (1.1 +/- 2.7, 1.8 +/- 3.9, 2.8 +/- 3.3, and 2.3 +/- 2.9 kg in placebo and 20-, 40-, and 80-mg oxandrolone groups, respectively; all P < 0.014 vs. baseline). BCM increased from baseline in all groups (0.45 +/- 1.7, 0.91 +/- 2.2, 1.5 +/- 2.5, and 1.8 +/- 1.8 kg in placebo and 20-, 40-, and 80-mg oxandrolone groups, respectively). At 12 weeks, only the gain in weight at the 40-mg dose of oxandrolone and the gain in BCM at the 40- and 80-mg doses of oxandrolone were greater than those in the placebo group, however. Oxandrolone treatment was associated with significant suppression of sex hormone-binding globulin, luteinizing hormone, follicle-stimulating hormone, and total and free testosterone levels. Treatment was generally well tolerated but accompanied by significant increases in transaminases and low-density lipoprotein as well as decreases in high-density lipoprotein.ConclusionOxandrolone administration is effective in promoting dose-dependent gains in body weight and BCM in HIV-infected men with weight loss.

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