@article {1739,
	title = {Association of age and comorbidity with physical function in HIV-infected and uninfected patients: results from the Veterans Aging Cohort Study.},
	journal = {AIDS patient care and STDs},
	volume = {25},
	year = {2011},
	month = {2011 Jan},
	pages = {13-20},
	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.},
	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},
	issn = {1557-7449},
	doi = {10.1089/apc.2010.0242},
	author = {Oursler, Krisann K and Goulet, Joseph L and Crystal, Stephen and Justice, Amy C and Crothers, Kristina and Butt, Adeel A and Rodriguez-Barradas, Maria C and Favors, Knachelle and Leaf, David and Katzel, Leslie I and Sorkin, John D}
}
