Frailty and Its Association with Health Related Quality of Life in Older HIV Patients, in Salvador, Brazil

Frailty is a geriatric syndrome that may develop earlier in the presence of HIV. Frail individuals are more vulnerable to adverse health outcomes and poorer quality of life. This study aimed to determine the prevalence and factors associated with frailty and to define the impact of frailty on quality of life. A cross-sectional study was conducted with 201 adults living with HIV, aged 50 or older, receiving outpatient care between April and November of 2017 at a referral center in Salvador, Brazil. Frailty was assessed using Fried frailty phenotype. Factors related to frailty were identified using multinomial logistic regression. The association between frailty and quality of life was tested through multiple linear regression. All but one patient were on antiretroviral therapy. The median age was 55 years (range 50–83 years), 63.7% were males, and 91.6% self-identified as black or racially mixed. The median CD4 cell count was 673 cells/mm3 (IQR 470–900), and 88.1% were virally suppressed. The prevalence of frailty and prefrailty was 19.4% and 49.3%, respectively. Female sex, unemployment, and pain were associated with frailty. Unemployment and the use of nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors were associated with prefrailty. Frailty was associated with a decrease in health-related quality of life. The prevalence of frailty was higher than the prevalence found in general population which was at least 10 years older. Half of the participants were prefrail, indicating the need for improved long-term care. Pain management is a potential target for interventions to prevent frailty and to improve quality of life.