Different profiles among older adults with HIV according to their chronological age and the year of HIV diagnosis: The FUNCFRAIL cohort study (GeSIDA 9817)

by Fátima Brañas, Mª José Galindo, Miguel Torralba, Antonio Antela, Jorge Vergas, Margarita Ramírez, Pablo Ryan, Fernando Dronda, Carmen Busca, Isabel Machuca, Mª Jesús Bustinduy, Alfonso Cabello, Matilde Sánchez-Conde, on behalf of the FUNCFRAIL study group

People in their fifties with HIV are considered older adults, but they appear not to be a homogeneous group.

To evaluate the differences among older adults with HIV according to their chronological age and the year of HIV diagnosis.

Cross-sectional study of the FUNCFRAIL cohort. Patients 50 or over with HIV were included and were stratified by both chronological age and the year of HIV diagnosis: before 1996 (long-term HIV survivors [LTHS]) and after 1996. We recorded sociodemographic data, HIV-related factors, comorbidities, frailty, physical function, other geriatric syndromes, and quality of life (QOL).

We evaluated 801 patients. Of these, 24.7% were women, 47.0% were LTHS, and 14.7% were 65 or over. Of the 65 or over patients, 73% were diagnosed after 1996. Higher rates of comorbidities among LTHS were found, being the more prevalent: COPD, history of cancer, osteoarthritis, depression, and other psychiatric disorders while the more prevalent among the 65 or over patients were: hypertension, diabetes, dyslipidemia, cancer, and osteoarthritis. LTHS showed a significantly worse QOL. There were no differences by the year of HIV diagnosis regarding frailty and functional impairment (SPPB <10) but they were more than twice as prevalent in the 65 or over patients compared to the other chronological age groups.

A LTHS and a 65 or over person are both “older adults with HIV,” but their characteristics and requirements differ markedly. It is mandatory to design specific approaches focused on the real needs of the different profiles.