| Title | Association of age and comorbidity with physical function in HIV-infected and uninfected patients: results from the Veterans Aging Cohort Study. |
| Publication Type | Journal Article |
| Year of Publication | 2011 |
| Authors | Oursler, 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 |
| Journal | AIDS patient care and STDs |
| Volume | 25 |
| Issue | 1 |
| Pagination | 13-20 |
| Date Published | 2011 Jan |
| ISSN | 1557-7449 |
| Keywords | Adult, 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 |
| Abstract | HIV 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. |
| DOI | 10.1089/apc.2010.0242 |
| Alternate Journal | AIDS Patient Care STDS |
