In HIV patients with belly fat who responded to the drug tesamorelin, the treatment made the visceral fat denser by 2.3 points on a CT scan scale compared to placebo, even after accounting for changes in fat amount.

Scientific Claim

Tesamorelin increased visceral adipose tissue density by 2.3 Hounsfield Units (95% confidence interval 0.9-3.7) more than placebo in people living with HIV with central adiposity who responded to treatment over 26 weeks, after adjusting for baseline density, area, and area change.

Original Statement

“Adjusted 26-week change**⌘ VAT density (95% CI) 2.3 (0.9, 3.7) p=0.001”

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 RCT design allows for causal claims about the specific outcome measured (CT density). The verb 'increased' is appropriate as it directly reflects the measured change.

Evidence from Studies

Supporting (1)

Tesamorelin improves fat quality independent of changes in fat quantity

Randomized Controlled Trial

Human

The study found that a drug called tesamorelin made the belly fat in HIV patients denser and healthier, even after accounting for how much fat they lost — exactly what the claim says.

Contradicting (0)

No contradicting evidence found

Source Study

Tesamorelin improves fat quality independent of changes in fat quantity

Score: 66

DOI: 10.1097/qad.0000000000002897

Similar Assertions

For HIV patients with belly fat who responded to tesamorelin, the drug made the subcutaneous fat denser by 3.5 points on a CT scan scale compared to placebo, regardless of changes in fat amount.

97%

For HIV patients with excess belly fat who responded to the drug tesamorelin, taking the drug for 26 weeks made the fat around their organs denser by 2.3 points on a CT scan scale, even after accounting for changes in fat amount, which suggests the fat became healthier.

94%

The same HIV patients with belly fat who responded to tesamorelin also saw their under-the-skin fat become denser by 3.5 points on CT scans after 26 weeks, regardless of fat amount changes, indicating healthier fat tissue.

93%

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.

93%

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.

92%