Frailty Predicts Recurrent but Not Single Falls 10 Years Later in HIV+
and HIV- Women
Anjali Sharma, Deborah Gustafson, Donald R Hoover, Qiuhu Shi, Michael W Plankey, Phyllis C Tien, Kathleen Weber, Michael T Yin:
The Women’s Interagency HIV Study (WIHS)
19th International Workshop on Co-morbidities and Adverse Drug Reactions in HIVMilan, Italy
October 23, 2017
Frailty• Geriatric syndrome characterized by diminished
strength, endurance, and reduced physiologic function
• Associated with adverse outcomes such as falls, fracture, disability, and death in elderly HIV-populations
• Among middle-aged HIV+ populations, frailty predicts:• Mortality among injection drug users• Mortality among women on ART• Frailty three years prior to ART initiation significantly
predicted subsequent AIDS or death among men
Fried LP, et al. The Journals of Gerontology Series, 2001; Ensrud KE, et al. Arch Intern Med 2008; Ensrud KE, et al. The Journals of Gerontology 2007; Piggott DA, et al. PloS One 2013; Gustafson DR, et al. BMJ open 2017; Desquilbet L, et al. The Journals of Gerontology 2011; High KP, et al. JAIDS 2012.
High Frequency of Falls Among Middle-Aged HIV+ and HIV- Women in the WIHS(N=1250 HIV+ and 566 HIV- Women)
41%
16%
25%
38%
6%
42%
18%
24%
45%
6%
0%
5%
10%
15%
20%
25%
30%
35%
40%
45%
50%
Any Fall Single Fall 2+ Fall Fall withinjury
Fall withfracture
HIV+HIV-
Sharma A, et al. Antiviral Therapy. 2017
Objectives
• To evaluate whether frailty status predicts risk of falls approximately 10 years later in HIV+ and HIV- women in WIHS
• To evaluate the contribution of individual components of frailty on subsequent risk of falls
Methods: Study Population (WIHS)
• Multicenter prospective cohort study of the progression of HIV infection in U.S. women
• Frailty assessed in 2005
• Falls reported every 6 months starting 2014
WIHS participants with FFI measured in 2005 and 4 falls questionnaires completed approximately 10 years later
2305 women enrolled in WIHS in 2005 (1634HIV+ and 671 HIV-)
2046 completed FFI assessments (1471 HIV+ and 571 HIV-)
283 Deaths, (252 HIV+ and 31#HIV-)661 Lost to follow-up, (424 HIV+ and 193 HIV-)
1146 Enrolled at WIHS visit 43 (794 HIV+ and 352 HIV-)
1055 completed all 4 falls questionnaires(729 HIV+ and 326 HIV- )
Definition of Frailty
• Fried Frailty Index (FFI) was measured in 2005• Frailty defined as presence of 3 or more of 5 :
1. Slow gait (3-4 m timed gait)*2. Reduced grip strength (dominant hand-held
dynamometer)*3. Physical exhaustion4. Unintentional weight loss (≥10 lb within 6 months)5. Low physical activity
*Defined by lowest quintile of HIV- womenFried LP, et al. The journals of gerontology Series A, Biological sciences and medical sciences. 2001
Ascertainment of Falls
• In 2014 (semiannual visit 40), all WIHS participants were asked to report any history of fall within the prior 6 months
• Participants reporting any fall were asked: ▫ If they had either “1” or “2 or more”▫ Whether any of these falls resulted in injury
for which they sought medical attention▫ Whether any of these falls resulted in fracture
Definition of Falls
“an unexpected event, including a slip or trip, in which you lost your balance and landed
on the floor, ground or lower level, or hit an object like a table or chair”
• Participants instructed to exclude▫ Falls that result from a major medical event▫ OR from an overwhelming external hazard
Lamb SE, et al. Prevention of Falls Network E, Outcomes Consensus G. Development of a common outcome data set for fall injury prevention trials: the Prevention of Falls Network Europe consensus. J Am Geriatr Soc 2005;53:1618-22.
Methods: Statistical Analyses• Logistic regression models were fit to determine risk
of single fall (vs. 0) over the 10-year follow-up▫ frailty and HIV status forced in
• Because associations with falls did not vary across visits, all four visits were pooled
• Covariates were measured at frailty visit (index visit)• A multivariable GEE model of independent
prediction of having single fall in the 6 months prior to each of the 4 visits pooled was fit using stepwise selection with SAS default criteria to enter and remain in the model
Methods: Statistical Analyses
• Recurrent falls: one fall at more than one visit, or 2 or more falls at any visit
• Models were fit for prediction of recurrent vs. 0-1 falls
• To evaluate the contribution of individual components of the FFI on 10-year fall risk, we next constructed models in which we allowed individual frailty components to enter using stepwise regression
• Models restricted to HIV+ women evaluated the contribution of measures of HIV disease- and treatment- specific characteristic on fall risk
Results• 729 HIV+ and 326 HIV- women• Median 9 years between the frailty and first falls
assessments• Single fall: 15% of HIV+ women and 18% of HIV-
women• Recurrent falls: 25% of HIV+ women and 21% of
HIV-women (overall p=0.20)• Among HIV+ women:
▫ 38% reported a prior AIDS▫ median CD4+ count was 462 cells/µl▫ 67% reported taking ART▫ 50% had suppressed HIV RNA viral load
Participant Characteristics HIV + (N=729) HIV- (N=326) P value
Age at index visit, years, median (IQR) 42 (36-48) 39 (31-46) <0.0001Education level high school or greater 473 (65%) 209 (64%) 0.83Annual Income ≥$12,000/yr 385 (54%) 188 (59%) 0.10Race 0.54
White 124 (17%) 47 (14%)Black 493 (68%) 230 (71%)Hispanic/Other 112 (15%) 49 (15%)
Marijuana use 0.0012Never 212 (29%) 77 (24%)Past 392 (54%) 162 (50%)Current 125 (17%) 87 (27%)
Hepatitis C Virus infection 148 (20%) 49 (15%) 0.042Diabetes Mellitus 102 (14%) 46 (14%) 0.95Hypertension 223 (31%) 96 (29%) 0.71Renal dysfunction (eGFR <60) 37 (5%) 3 (0.9%) 0.0011Depressive symptoms (modified CESD ≥15) 255 (35%) 103 (32%) 0.28Peripheral neuropathy 119 (16%) 21 (6%) <0.0001Obesity (≥30kg/m2) 274 (38%) 151 (47%) 0.0076Number of current CNS active medication types 0.0001
0 513 (70%) 270 (83%)1 128 (18%) 28 (9%)2 65 (9%) 17 (5%)≥3 23 (3%) 11 (3%)
Frailty and Falls Occurrence Among HIV+ and HIV- Women in WIHS
HIV + (N=729) HIV- (N=326) P value
Fall status during study 0.20
No fall 441 (61%) 200 (61%)
One fall 108 (15%) 59 (18%)
More than one fall 180 (25%) 67 (21%)
Frailty score 0.045
0-2 296 (91%) 630 (86%)
3-5 99 (14%) 30 (9%)
Components of Frailty Index
Slow gait 160 (25%) 66 (22%) 0.32
Reduced grip strength 178 (28%) 57 (19%) 0.0025
Physical exhaustion 210 (29%) 64 (20%) 0.0019
Unintentional weight loss 101 (14%) 23 (7%) 0.0015
Low physical activity 168 (23%) 66 (21%) 0.33
Characteristics Associated with Single and Recurrent FallsNo Fall
(N=641) One Fall(N=167)
Two+ Falls(N=247)
P-value
HIV status 0.20
HIV-uninfected (N=326) 200 (61%) 59 (18%) 67 (21%)
HIV-infected (N=729) 441 (61%) 108 (15%) 180 (25%)
Age, yrs, median (IQR) 40 (33-45) 41 (35-48) 44 (38-50) <0.0001Race <0.0001
African American (N=723) 465 (64%) 90 (12%) 168 (23%)Hispanic/Other (N=161) 90 (56%) 44 (27%) 27 (17%)Caucasian (N=171) 86 (50%) 33 (19%) 52 (30%)
Annual income ≥$12,000 (N=573) 359 (63%) 100 (18%) 114 (20%) 0.005
Smoking status 0.0003Never (N=314) 222 (71%) 41 (13%) 51 (16%)Former (N=249) 137 (55%) 49 (20%) 63 (25%)Current (N=492) 282 (57%) 77 (16%) 133 (27%)
Marijuana use <0.0001Never (N=289) 211 (73%) 33 (11%) 45 (16%)Former (N=554) 319 (58%) 91 (16%) 144 (26%)Current (N=212) 111 (52%) 43 (20%) 58 (27%)
Obesity (BMI ≥30 kg/m2) (N =425) 244 (57%) 63 (15%) 118 (28%) 0.03Hepatitis C Virus positive (N=197) 91 (46%) 36 (18%) 70 (36%) <0.0001Peripheral neuropathy (N=140) 54 (39%) 28 (20%) 58 (41%) <0.0001Hypertension (N=319) 161 (50%) 58 (18%) 100 (31%) <0.0001
Association of FFI and Frailty Components with Single and Recurrent Falls
No Fall (N=641)
One Fall(N=167)
Two+ Falls(N=247)
P-value
Frailty Status <0.0001
Non-frail (FFI score 0-2), (N=926) 587 (66%) 148 (17%) 191 (22%)
Frail (FFI score 3-5), (N=129) 54 (42%) 19 (15%) 56 (43%)
Components of Frailty Index
Slow gait (N=226) 127 (56%) 29 (13%) 70 (31%) 0.01
Reduced grip strength (N=235) 133 (57%) 48 (20%) 54 (23%) 0.04
Physical exhaustion (N=274) 127 (46%) 38 (14%) 109 (40%) <0.0001
Unintentional weight loss (N=124) 49 (40%) 28 (23%) 47 (38%) <0.0001
Low physical activity (N=234) 116 (50%) 35 (15%) 83 (35%) <0.0001
Frailty Score and Other Factors Associated with Falls Single (vs. 0) Falls Recurrent (vs. 0-1) Falls
Adjusted Odds Ratio
95% CI P value Adjusted Odds Ratio
95% CI P value
HIV Positive 0.85 0.58 - 1.27 0.43 0.93 0.65 - 1.34 0.71
Frailty 0.93 0.50 - 1.75 0.83 1.66 1.06 - 2.61 0.03
Age (per 10 years) - - - 1.44 1.20 - 1.74 <.0001
Race (ref=White)
Black 0.52 0.32 - 0.86 0.01 0.74 0.49 - 1.14 0.17
Hispanic/Other 1.45 0.81 - 2.62 0.21 0.42 0.23 - 0.76 0.004
Income ≥$12,000/yr - - - 0.61 0.44 - 0.84 0.003
Marijuana use (ref=never)
Former 1.71 1.06 - 2.74 0.03 - -
Current 2.43 1.38 - 4.25 0.002 - -
Hypertension 1.72 1.15 - 2.57 0.009 - -
Neuropathy 2.02 1.17 - 3.49 0.01 1.93 1.26 - 2.95 0.003
Obesity - - 1.46 1.06 - 2.02 0.02
CNS active medication classes used - - 1.42 1.17 - 1.73 0.0004
Adjusted for study site
Frailty Components Associated with FallsSingle (vs. 0) Falls Recurrent (vs. 0-1) Falls
Adjusted Odds Ratio
95% CI P value Adjusted Odds Ratio
95% CI P value
HIV Positive 0.90 0.59-1.39 0.64 0.79 0.54-1.16 0.23
Slow gait - - - 1.50 1.01- 2.22 0.04
Physical exhaustion - - - 1.66 1.13 -2.46 0.01
Unintentional weight loss 2.31 1.28- 4.17 0.005 - -
Age (per 10 years) - - - 1.41 1.16- 1.71 0.0006
Race (ref=White)
Black 0.45 0.27-0.77 0.003 0.71 0.45-1.13 0.14
Hispanic/Other 1.15 0.61-2.16 0.67 0.42 0.22-0.79 0.007
Income ≥$12,000/yr - - - 0.62 0.44 -0.89 0.0085
Marijuana use (ref=never)
Former 1.65 0.99 -2.75 0.06 - - -
Current 2.20 1.20-4.01 0.01 - - -
Hypertension 1.63 1.05- 2.52 0.03 - - -
Neuropathy 1.89 1.05- 3.30 0.04 1.99 1.27- 3.11 0.0016
CNS active medication classes - - - 1.35 1.09 -1.67 0.0067
Summary• Among middle aged HIV+ and HIV- women, frailty
independently predicted recurrent falls 10 years later
• FFI components (exhaustion and slow gait) predicted greater risk of recurrent falls
• Frailty did not predict single falls 10 years later▫ unintentional weight loss predicted single falls
• Frequent occurrence of falls in the WIHS cohort• Neither HIV serostatus, nor HIV disease or treatment
related factors were associated with falls
Conclusions• As HIV+ women continue to age, early frailty
assessment is an important tool to identify women at risk of falling
• Fall prevention strategy for HIV+ women
• Importance of examining the construct of geriatric syndromes even at younger ages, particularly in relation to chronic HIV disease, which has been implicated in accelerated aging
Acknowledgements• Primary WIHS funding by NIAID• NIAMS K23AR06199301 (AS)• NIAID R01 AI095089 (MTY)• WIHS staff and participants