The fat got healthier-looking on scans after 6 months of treatment, and there’s no sign the effect faded — it lasted the whole time.
Scientific Claim
In people living with HIV (PWH) with central adiposity, the improvement in fat density from tesamorelin is sustained over 26 weeks and is not transient, as changes were measured at a single endpoint after full treatment duration.
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].”
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 limited to the study duration (26 weeks) and reflects the observed endpoint data. No claim about long-term sustainability is made.
Evidence from Studies
Supporting (1)
Tesamorelin improves fat quality independent of changes in fat quantity
The study found that a drug called tesamorelin made belly fat healthier-looking on scans after 26 weeks, and this improvement stayed even after accounting for how much fat was lost — meaning the benefit wasn’t just temporary.