Association between frailty and components of the frailty phenotype with modifiable risk factors and antiretroviral therapy

Abstract

The impact of antiretroviral therapy (ART) on frailty among human immunodeficiency virus (HIV).infected adults has not been well described. HIV-infected participants aged.40 years with initial ART receipt through a randomized, controlled AIDS Clinical Trials Group trial completed a frailty assessment. Ordinal logistic regression models examined factors associated with frailty. Of 1016 participants, 6% were frail, and 38% were prefrail. Frailty was associated with lower education, older age, Medicare/Medicaid, initial efavirenz, smoking, obesity, and neurocognitive impairment; physical activity and alcohol use were protective. The associations with ART require further investigation, and associations between frailty and modifiable factors provide targets for future interventions.