Improvement in highly active antiretroviral therapy-induced metabolic syndrome by treatment with pioglitazone but not with fenofibrate: a 2 x 2 factorial, randomized, double-blinded, placebo-controlled trial.

We designed a 2 x 2 factorial, randomized, double-blinded, placebo-controlled trial to evaluate the effects of treatment with pioglitazone and/or fenofibrate in patients with highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART)-induced metabolic syndrome. We found that the administration of pioglitazone, but not fenofibrate, improved insulin resistance, blood pressure, and lipid profile over a 12-month period.