Links Between Inflammation, Mood, and Physical Function Among Older Adults With HIV

Area of Science:

• Gerontology
• Immunology
• Psychiatry

Background:

• People living with HIV (PLWH) on antiretroviral therapy have increased longevity but face higher rates of inflammation-related comorbidities.
• Biopsychosocial determinants of health are crucial for understanding these comorbidities, yet are understudied in aging PLWH.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the cross-sectional relationships between psychosocial factors, inflammatory markers, and age-related health outcomes in older PLWH.
• To identify potential targets for interventions to improve health and quality of life in this population.

Main Methods:

• 143 PLWH aged 54-78 provided blood samples for cytokine and CRP analysis.
• Participants completed surveys on psychosocial factors, health status, and frailty assessments.
• Regression models analyzed associations between psychosocial factors, inflammation, and health outcomes, adjusting for covariates.

Main Results:

• Higher depressive symptoms correlated with elevated composite cytokine levels (p = .008).
• Elevated cytokine levels were associated with increased likelihood of prefrailty/frailty (aOR = 1.72) and poorer physical function (p = .009).
• C-reactive protein and fall history did not show significant associations with inflammatory markers or health outcomes.

Conclusions:

• Depressive symptoms and poorer physical function may have bidirectional relationships with chronic inflammation in older PLWH.
• Leveraging these biopsychosocial links could inform novel strategies to manage comorbidities and reduce health risks in aging PLWH.
• Further research is needed to develop targeted interventions for this population.