Sarcopenia in people living with HIV. A review

The aim of this review is to know the current status of sarcopenia in people living with acquired immunodeficiency virus, as well as predictors, prevalence, and associated factors. Searches were done in PubMed, Scielo, and ScienceDirect databases (January 2010 to August 2021), using predefined search terms. Prevalence, intervention, and meta-analysis studies investigating sarcopenia or muscle mass and function in people living with Human immunodeficiency virus (PLHIV) were selected. We identified reports of high prevalence and increased risk for sarcopenia due to factors such as prolonged exposure to antiretroviral drugs, lack of physical activity, central obesity, drug use, and other sociodemographic factors, as well as disease duration. HIV should be considered a risk factor for sarcopenia, and evaluation of sarcopenia should be included as part of the comprehensive medical care of PLHIV. Forceful actions are required to prevent muscle weakness, especially in stages before old age with actions aimed at preserving strength and function.