How to assess and manage frailty in patients with HIV

As a result of the successful treatment of HIV over the last four decades, people living with HIV (PLWH) can now expect a near-normal life expectancy.1 This change in demographics, alongside later life acquisition of HIV,2 has resulted in clinical services now seeing an older HIV cohort, with patients experiencing many of the problems of an older HIV-negative cohort such as multiple medical diagnoses, polypharmacy and frailty. An example case: A 70-year-old man with ‘well-controlled’ chronic HIV infection, presents to his routine HIV clinic appointment complaining of recurrent falls, fatigue, low mood, self-reported memory concerns, episodes of urinary incontinence and increased difficulty looking after himself at home. HIV background:diagnosed in 1995, aged 48 years initial CD4 count, 45 cells/mm3 late presentation with Pneumocystis jiroveci pneumonia, defining AIDS started antiretroviral drugs (ARVs), 1995 current CD4, 556 cells/mm3, viral load undetectable Past medical history:
Source: Sexually Transmitted Infections - Category: Sexual Medicine Authors: Tags: How to do it Source Type: research