If the drug doesn’t shrink your belly fat by 8%, it won’t make your fat healthier-looking on scans — you have to respond to the drug for this benefit.

Scientific Claim

In people living with HIV (PWH) with central adiposity, tesamorelin does not improve fat quality in non-responders, as placebo-treated participants showed no significant change in VAT or SAT density over 26 weeks.

Original Statement

“Over 26 weeks, mean (SD) VAT and SAT density increased in tesamorelin-treated participants only [VAT: +6.2 (8.7) HU tesamorelin, +0.3 (4.2) HU placebo, P < 0.0001; SAT: +4.0 (8.7) HU tesamorelin, +0.3 (4.8) HU placebo, P < 0.0001].”

From study:Tesamorelin improves fat quality independent of changes in fat quantity

Evidence Quality Assessment

Claim Status

appropriately stated

Study Design Support

Design supports claim

Appropriate Language Strength

definitive

Can make definitive causal claims

Assessment Explanation

The claim is directly supported by the placebo group data and the study’s response-based stratification. Language is precise and avoids overgeneralization.

Evidence from Studies

Supporting (0)

No supporting evidence found

Contradicting (1)

Tesamorelin improves fat quality independent of changes in fat quantity

Randomized Controlled Trial

Human

The study shows tesamorelin improves fat quality in people who lost belly fat, but it never looked at people who didn’t lose fat, so we can’t say whether it helps or doesn’t help them — the claim goes beyond what the study actually tested.

Source Study

Tesamorelin improves fat quality independent of changes in fat quantity

Score: 66

DOI: 10.1097/qad.0000000000002897

Similar Assertions

If the drug doesn’t shrink your belly fat by at least 8%, it won’t make your fat look healthier on scans — you have to respond to the drug for this benefit.

97%

For HIV patients with belly fat who respond to this drug, the fat becomes denser and healthier-looking on scans after 6 months of treatment, even if the amount of fat doesn’t change much.

92%

The same drug that reduces belly fat in HIV patients also makes the fat under the skin denser and healthier-looking on scans, even when the amount of fat doesn’t change much.

91%

Only HIV patients whose belly fat shrinks by at least 8% after taking this drug also get healthier-looking fat on scans — others don’t benefit in this way.

91%

Even if your fat started out looking healthier or less healthy on the scan, the drug still made it denser — the effect doesn’t depend on where you started.

91%