Yale University

Association of age and comorbidity with physical function in HIV-infected and uninfected patients: results from the Veterans Aging Cohort Study.

TitleAssociation of age and comorbidity with physical function in HIV-infected and uninfected patients: results from the Veterans Aging Cohort Study.
Publication TypeJournal Article
Year of Publication2011
AuthorsOursler, Krisann K., Joseph L. Goulet, Stephen Crystal, Amy C. Justice, Kristina Crothers, Adeel A. Butt, Maria C. Rodriguez-Barradas, Knachelle Favors, David Leaf, Leslie I. Katzel, and John D. Sorkin
JournalAIDS patient care and STDs
Volume25
Issue1
Pagination13-20
Date Published2011 Jan
ISSN1557-7449
KeywordsAdult, Aging, Cohort Studies, Comorbidity, Female, HIV Infections, Humans, Male, Middle Aged, Motor Activity, Risk Factors, United States, United States Department of Veterans Affairs, Veterans, Viral Load
AbstractHIV clinical care now involves prevention and treatment of age-associated comorbidity. Although physical function is an established correlate to comorbidity in older adults without HIV infection, its role in aging of HIV-infected adults is not well understood. To investigate this question we conducted cross-sectional analyses including linear regression models of physical function in 3227 HIV-infected and 3240 uninfected patients enrolled 2002-2006 in the Veterans Aging Cohort Study-8-site (VACS-8). Baseline self-reported physical function correlated with the Short Form-12 physical subscale (ρ = 0.74, p < 0.001), and predicted survival. Across the age groups decline in physical function per year was greater in HIV-infected patients (β(coef) -0.25, p < 0.001) compared to uninfected patients (β(coef) -0.08, p = 0.03). This difference, although statistically significant (p < 0.01), was small. Function in the average 50-year old HIV-infected subject was equivalent to the average 51.5-year-old uninfected subject. History of cardiovascular disease was a significant predictor of poor function, but the effect was similar across groups. Chronic pulmonary disease had a differential effect on function by HIV status (Δβ(coef) -3.5, p = 0.03). A 50-year-old HIV-infected subject with chronic pulmonary disease had the equivalent level of function as a 68.1-year-old uninfected subject with chronic pulmonary disease. We conclude that age-associated comorbidity affects physical function in HIV-infected patients, and may modify the effect of aging. Longitudinal research with markers of disease severity is needed to investigate loss of physical function with aging, and to develop age-specific HIV care guidelines.
DOI10.1089/apc.2010.0242
Alternate JournalAIDS Patient Care STDS

External Links