Hypertension was defined as see more resting systolic blood pressure >130 mmHg, resting diastolic blood pressure >85 mmHg (on three occasions) or current use of an anti-hypertensive agent. Exclusion criteria included: chronic hepatitis B or active hepatitis C virus infection, diabetes, male hypogonadism (<7.0 nmol/L), hypo- or hyperthyroidism (<0.2 or >12 μIU/mL), pregnancy or plans to become pregnant, prior myocardial infarction (MI), unstable angina, heart failure, coronary artery disease, resting ST-segment (segment between the S-wave and T-wave on the electrocardiogram) depression >1mm, coronary

artery bypass graft, stroke and active substance abuse. Both groups received monthly nutrition counselling (American Heart Association (AHA) guidelines [34]) from a research dietician. Standard of care included regular routine visits to the participant’s infectious disease physician, no added physical activity, no changes in cART and no added medications for hyperglycaemia, hyperlipidaemia or hypertension. All participants ZD1839 price signed an informed consent document and the study was approved by the Human Research Protection Office at Washington University School of Medicine. At baseline and 20 weeks, participants were examined by a physician-investigator. Waist circumference was measured at the midpoint between

the costal margin and the anterior superior iliac crest. After an overnight fast (8–10 h), resting electrocardiogram (EKG) and blood pressures (average of three resting measures), serum lipid/lipoprotein levels (total and HDL cholesterol, triglyceride, and calculated LDL and non-HDL cholesterol levels), a comprehensive metabolic panel (e.g. liver and kidney function tests), CD4 T-cell count (flow cytometry), plasma HIV RNA level (Roche Amplicor™ HIV-1 Monitor Test;

Roche, Branchburg, NJ, USA) and a 75-g, 2-h oral glucose tolerance test (oGTT) with plasma glucose and insulin monitoring at 0, 30, 60, 90 and 120 min were obtained. Whole-body and regional body composition were quantified using enhanced-array whole-body dual energy X-ray absorptiometry (software v12.4; Hologic Discovery, Waltham, MA, USA). Participants completed the Medical Outcomes Study (MOS) Short Form (SF)-36 health-related QOL (HIV-QOL) inventory and SPTLC1 a 3-day diet record to evaluate energy, macro- and selected micronutrient intakes. Fasting serum lipid/lipoproteins were quantified as described previously [35]. The accuracy of these analytical methods has been verified and standardized by participation in the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Lipid Standardization Program, the CDC Cholesterol Reference Method Laboratory Network, and the College of American Pathologists external proficiency programme. Blood glucose levels were quantified using the glucose oxidase reaction (Yellow Springs Instruments, Yellow Springs, OH, USA).