Prevalence of sarcopenia and association with HIV infection in China elderly: An observational study

Abstract

This article aims to analyze the prevalence of sarcopenia among the elderly in Guizhou Province, China, and its association with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection. This cross-sectional study included 377 patients aged 60 and above in Guiyang Public Health Treatment Center from December 2022 to October 2023, including 231 patients in the community clinic and 146 HIV-infected individuals. According to the Asian Working Group for Sarcopenia 2019 Consensus to diagnose sarcopenia. Logistic regression was used to explore association between sarcopenia and HIV, and stratified by sex and age group. The prevalence of sarcopenia in the non-HIV infection elderly in Guizhou Province was 7.8% (21.3% in males and 5.5% in females), and the prevalence of sarcopenia in HIV-infected individuals was 29.5% (33.3% in males and 13.2% in females), with a statistically significant difference between HIV groups (χ2 = 30.946, P < .001). After control of gender, age, body mass index, body fat percentage, hypertension, diabetes, taking statins, smoking status, medium to high-intensity physical activity, whether childhood poverty, and parents died young, HIV infection was significantly associated with sarcopenia in the elderly (odds ratio = 4.635, 95% confidence interval = 1.920-11.188, P = .001). The results of stratified regression were similar to the main results. The prevalence of sarcopenia in the elderly population in China was severe. HIV infection was a risk factor for sarcopenia. It is urgent to establish a prevention and treatment system for sarcopenia in the elderly population, especially for elderly HIV-infected male.

Figure 1.

Prevalence of sarcopenia in different groups.

Figure 2.

Violin chart of SMI and grip strength in HIV groups by sex. HIV = human immunodeficiency virus, SMI = skeletal muscle index.