Aging with HIV vs. HIV Seroconversion at Older Age: A Diverse Population with Distinct Comorbidity Profiles

People aging with HIV might have different health conditions compared with people who seroconverted at older ages. The study objective was to assess the prevalence of, and risk factors for, individual co-morbidities and multimorbidity (MM) between HIV-positive patients with a longer duration of HIV infection, and patients who seroconverted at an older age. We compared estimates across both groups to a matched community-based cohort sampled from the general population

The Relationships between Total Body, Lumbar Spine and Femoral Neck Bone Mineral Density T-Scores for Diagnosis of Low Bone Mass in HIVInfected Patients

Background: The total bone mineral density T-score cutoff for low bone mass underestimates the frequency shown by femoral neck and lumbar T-score cutoffs. Objective: To determine whether a total body DXA T-score cutoff can be found that will produce results similar those obtained by local measurements of the femoral neck and lumbar spine. Methodology: Participants were all HIV-infected; 1730 males and 840 females. T-score correlations of the three sites were obtained. ROC analyses were performed to obtain the T-score cutoffs for the total body that would produce results that best matched those of the femoral neck and lumbar spine. Low bone mass was defined as a T-score <-1, which includes both osteopenia and osteoporosis categories as defined by the World Health Organization (WHO). The efficacy of the derived T-score cutoffs were determined by cross tabulation of the modified total body classifications against the femoral neck and lumbar spine classification, and rated by the kappa coefficient of agreement and percent of agreement (concordance). Results: Spearman rank correlations varied from 0.570 to 0.752 between total body, lumbar spine and femoral neck T-scores. Area under the ROC curve varied from 0.777 to 0.874 for the different paired sites. The T-score cutoffs for the total body were selected from the ROC curves at a point where the sum of the sensitivity and specificity is a maximum. Cross tabulation of the binary categories. i.e., normal or abnormal, of the total body using the derived T-score cutoffs against those of the femoral neck and lumbar spine registered a reduction of false negatives, but it was associated with a consistent increase in the number of false positives. The resultant kappa coefficients of agreement varied from 0.429 to 0.564; a moderate rating when perfect agreement is 1.0. Conclusion: The modification of the total body T-score cutoffs for the disclosure of low bone mass at the femoral neck and lumbar spine is not sufficiently accurate for clinical application, in particular fracture risk prediction

Late presentation increases risk and costs of non-infectious comorbidities in people with HIV: An Italian cost impact study

Background: Late presentation (LP) at the time of HIV diagnosis is defined as presentation with AIDS whatever the CD4 cell count or with CD4 <350 cells/mm. The objective of our study was to assess the prevalence of non-infectious comorbidities (NICM) and multimorbidity among HIV-positive individuals with and without a history of LP (HIV + LP and HIV + EP, respectively), and compare them to matched HIV-negative control participants from a community-based cohort. The secondary objective was to provide estimates and determinants of direct cost of medical care in HIV patients. Methods: We performed a matched cohort study including HIV + LP and HIV + EP among people attending the Modena HIV Metabolic Clinic (MHMC) in 2014. HIV-positive participants were matched in a 1:3 ratio with HIV-negative participants from the CINECA ARNO database. Multimorbidity was defined as the concurrent presence of 652 NICM. Logistic regression models were constructed to evaluate associated predictors of NICM and multimorbidity. Results: We analyzed 452 HIV + LP and 73 HIV + EP participants in comparison to 1575 HIV-negative controls. The mean age was 46 \ub1 9 years, 27.5% were women. Prevalence of NICM and multimorbidity were fourfold higher in the HIV + LP compared to the general population (p < 0.001), while HIV + EP present an intermediate risk. LP was associated with increased total costs in all age strata, but appear particularly relevant in patients above 50 years of age, after adjusting for age, multimorbidity, and antiretroviral costs. Conclusions: LP with HIV infection is still very frequent in Italy, is associated with higher prevalence of NICM and multimorbidity, and contributes to higher total care costs. Encouraging early testing and access to care is still urgently needed

Frailty in older people living with HIV: current status and clinical management

This paper will update care providers on the clinical and scientific aspects of frailty which affects an increasing proportion of older people living with HIV (PLWH). The successful use of combination antiretroviral therapy has improved long-term survival in PLWH. This has increased the proportion of PLWH older than 50 to more than 50% of the HIV population. Concurrently, there has been an increase in the premature development of age-related comorbidities as well as geriatric syndromes, especially frailty, which affects an important minority of older PLWH. As the number of frail older PLWH increases, this will have an important impact on their health care delivery. Frailty negatively affects a PLWH's clinical status, and increases their risk of adverse outcomes, impacting quality of life and health-span. The biologic constructs underlying the development of frailty integrate interrelated pathways which are affected by the process of aging and those factors which accelerate aging. The negative impact of sarcopenia in maintaining musculoskeletal integrity and thereby functional status may represent a bidirectional interaction with frailty in PLWH. Furthermore, there is a growing body of literature that frailty states may be transitional. The recognition and management of related risk factors will help to mitigate the development of frailty. The application of interdisciplinary geriatric management principles to the care of older PLWH allows reliable screening and care practices for frailty. Insight into frailty, increasingly recognized as an important marker of biologic age, will help to understand the diversity of clinical status occurring in PLWH, which therefore represents a fundamentally new and important aspect to be evaluated in their health care

Predictors of transitions in frailty severity and mortality among people aging with HIV.

BACKGROUND: People aging with HIV show variable health trajectories. Our objective was to identify longitudinal predictors of frailty severity and mortality among a group aging with HIV. METHODS: Exploratory analyses employing a multistate transition model, with data from the prospective Modena HIV Metabolic Clinic Cohort Study, based in Northern Italy, begun in 2004. Participants were followed over four years from their first available visit. We included all 963 participants (mean age 46.8±7.1; 29% female; 89% undetectable HIV viral load; median current CD4 count 549, IQR 405–720; nadir CD4 count 180, 81–280) with four-year data. Frailty was quantified using a 31-item frailty index. Outcomes were frailty index score or mortality at four-year follow-up. Candidate predictor variables were baseline frailty index score, demographic (age, sex), HIV-disease related (undetectable HIV viral load, current CD4+ T-cell count, nadir CD4 count, duration of HIV infection, and duration of antiretroviral therapy [ARV] exposure), and behavioral factors (smoking, injection drug use (IDU), and hepatitis C virus co-infection). RESULTS: Four-year mortality was 3.0% (n = 29). In multivariable analyses, independent predictors of frailty index at follow-up were baseline frailty index (RR 1.06, 95% CI 1.05–1.07), female sex (RR 0.93, 95% CI 0.87–0.98), nadir CD4 cell count (RR 0.96, 95% CI 0.93–0.99), duration of HIV infection (RR 1.06, 95% CI 1.01–1.12), duration of ARV exposure (RR 1.08, 95% CI 1.02–1.14), and smoking pack-years (1.03, 1.01–1.05). Independent predictors of mortality were baseline frailty index (OR 1.19, 1.02–1.38), current CD4 count (0.34, 0.20–0.60), and IDU (2.89, 1.30–6.42). CONCLUSIONS: Demographic, HIV-disease related, and social and behavioral factors appear to confer risk for changes in frailty severity and mortality among people aging with HIV

Non-AIDS-defining comorbidities impact health related quality of life among older adults living with HIV

Introduction The life expectancy of people living with HIV receiving effective combination antiretroviral therapy is approaching that of the general population and non AIDS-defining age-related comorbidities are becoming of greater concern. In order to support healthy aging of this population, we set out to explore the association between multimorbidity (defined as presence of 2 or more non AIDS-defining comorbidities) and quality of life (QoL).Methods We performed a cross-sectional analysis using data from the Correlates of Healthy Aging in Geriatric HIV (CHANGE HIV) study, a Canadian cohort of people living with HIV age 65 years and older. Study participants completed two QoL modules, the general QoL and health related QoL (HR-QoL).Results 433 participants were included in the analysis with a median age of 69 years (interquartile range, IQR 67-72). The median number of comorbidities among study participants was 3 (IQR 2-4), with 78% meeting the definition of multimorbidity. General QoL scores (median 66, IQR 58-76) were lower than HR-QoL scores (median 71, IQR 61-83) and were not associated with multimorbidity after adjusting for age, sex, relationship status, household income, exercise, tobacco smoking history, malnutrition, time since HIV diagnosis, and HIV-related stigma. In contrast, multimorbidity was associated with lower HR-QoL (adjusted beta = -4.57, 95% CI -8.86, -0.28) after accounting for the same variables. Several social vulnerabilities (not having a partner, low household income), health behaviours (lower engagement in exercise, smoking), and HIV-related factors (HIV stigma, longer time since HIV diagnosis) were also associated with lower QoL.Discussion Overall, our study demonstrated a high burden of multimorbidity among older adults living with HIV in Canada, which has a negative impact on HR-QoL. Interventions aimed at preventing and managing non-AIDS-defining comorbidities should be assessed in people living with HIV to determine whether this can improve their HR-QoL

Approach to Dyslipidemia, Lipodystrophy, and Cardiovascular Risk in Patients with HIV Infection

There is a significant prevalence (20%–80% depending on the population and the study) of lipid disorders and other cardiovascular risk factors in people living with HIV infection. This review focuses on HIV and HIV treatment–associated metabolic and cardiovascular concerns, including dyslipidemias, lipodystrophy syndromes, endothelial dysfunctions, and associated metabolic events such as insulin resistance. Emerging hypotheses of the underlying pathophysiology of these issues, with impact on selection of specific antiretroviral treatment (ART) strategies, therapy, and preventive approaches to decreasing cardiovascular risk and other problems associated with these syndromes are discussed. Screening for cardiovascular risk as part of the decision of starting antiretroviral therapy, and during care of patients with HIV regardless of ART therapy status, is suggested with particular areas of focus. Statins, other hyperlipidemic therapies, treatment for specific problems arising due to lipodystrophy, and implications on ART selection to avoid drug interactions and adverse effects are also discussed

Prevalence and Correlates of Frailty Among Older Adults Living With HIV in the CHANGE HIV Cohort

Background: Advancements in treatment have resulted in improved survival among people living with HIV. However, additional years of life are not necessarily spent in good health, as frailty tends to develop at a younger age among people living with HIV. We set out to examine the prevalence of frailty and its correlates among older adults living with HIV in Canada, with a primary interest in nadir CD4 count. Methods: We performed a cross-sectional analysis of the Correlates of Healthy Aging in Geriatric HIV (CHANGE HIV) study, a Canadian cohort of people living with HIV aged 65 years or older. Participants were assessed using the Fried Frailty Phenotype at cohort entry, and those meeting ≥3 criteria were characterized as frail. We used Poisson regression with robust standard errors to estimate the association between nadir CD4 count and frailty, as well as age, gender, time since HIV diagnosis, comorbidities, marital status, and loneliness. Results: Among 439 participants included in this analysis (median age 69 years, interquartile ranges 67-73), prevalence of frailty was 16.6%. Frailty was not associated with nadir CD4 count. Not being in a relationship (aRR 2.09, 95% CI 1.01 to 4.30) and greater degree of loneliness (aRR 1.25 per 10 point increase on UCLA loneliness scale, 95% CI 1.09 to 1.44) were associated with frailty. Conclusions: Frailty occurred in 16.6% of older adults living with HIV in this cohort. While nadir CD4 count did not correlate with frailty, being single and lonely did, highlighting the importance of recognizing and addressing these social vulnerabilities among people aging with HIV

The Relationship between Visceral Adiposity and Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease Diagnosed by Controlled Attenuation Parameter in People with HIV: A Pilot Study

Background: Fat alterations are frequent in people with HIV (PWH) and predict worse cardiometabolic outcomes. Visceral adipose tissue (VAT) is associated with ectopic fat accumulation in the liver. We aimed to investigate nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) diagnosed by controlled attenuation parameter (CAP) as a potential marker of visceral adiposity in PWH. Methods: We conducted a prospective pilot study of HIV mono-infected patients undergoing metabolic characterization and paired CAP measured by transient elastography with dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DEXA) scan. NAFLD was defined as CAP &gt;= 285 dB/m, in absence of alcohol abuse. Excess visceral adiposity was defined as VAT &gt; 1.32 Kg. Pairwise correlation, area under the curve (AUC) and logistic regression analysis were employed to study the association between VAT and CAP. Results: Thirty patients were included, of whom 50% had NAFLD. CAP was correlated with VAT (r = 0.650, p &lt; 0.001) measured by DEXA scan. After adjusting for duration of HIV infection, body mass index and waist circumference, CAP remained the only independent predictor of excess VAT (adjusted odds ratio 1.05, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.01-1.10). The AUC analysis determined CAP had excellent performance to diagnose excess VAT (AUC 0.92, 95% CI 0.81-1.00), higher than BMI and waist circumference. The optimized CAP cut-off to diagnose excess VAT was 266 dB/m, with a sensitivity of 88.3% and a specificity of 84.6%. Conclusions: NAFLD diagnosed by CAP is associated with VAT in PWH independently of anthropometric measures of obesity. CAP may be a potential diagnostic marker of visceral adiposity in the practice of HIV medicine