Current Challenges and Solutions in Research and Clinical Care of Older Persons Living with HIV: Findings Presented at the 9th International Workshop on HIV and Aging

Abstract

In the era of effective antiretroviral therapy, the number of older people with HIV (PWH) is increasing, and those aging with HIV are experiencing an increasing burden of age-associated comorbidities. Life expectancy among older PWH is approaching that of demographically comparable HIV-uninfected (HIV-) adults. With this changing demographic of PWH come new challenges for researchers and clinicians in how to identify, address, and manage the complex interplay of treated HIV infection and aging-associated factors. In response to these challenges, the annual International Workshop on HIV and Aging was initiated in 2009 as a multidisciplinary platform for scientific discourse on the research and clinical complications arising from the aging population of PWH. The multidisciplinary nature of the workshop has resulted in a wide range of topics addressed over the past 9 years, from basic mechanisms in aging and HIV pathogenesis, to epidemiology of aging within large cohorts, interventions, and implementation of clinical programs. Herein, we summarize the key topics discussed at the 9th Annual International Workshop on HIV and Aging 2018, including "inflammaging," mitochondrial dysfunction, exercise interventions, HIV-associated neurocognitive impairment, metabolic dysfunction, menopause, and polypharmacy. In addition to recent developments in research and clinical care, we discuss open questions and future research directions required to better understand the interaction of HIV and aging.

Keywords: HIV; aging; comorbidities; inflammation; intervention; polypharmacy.