Aging‐associated symptoms in the physician‐patient dialogue in a group of long‐term diagnosed HIV‐infected individuals

In: Journal of the International AIDS Society, Band 15, Heft S4, S. 1-1

Abstract

BackgroundThe significant decrease in mortality has resulted in a large number of individuals aged over 50 living with HIV infection. Additionally, the coexistence of certain pathologies suggests premature aging. In this scenario, the presence of aging‐associated symptoms in the physician‐patient dialogue is yet to be explored.MethodsCross‐sectional observational study to evaluate the presence of aging‐associated symptoms in the physician‐patient dialogue and to explore the possible differences between genders in a sample of 100 HIV‐1 infected subjects diagnosed at least 15 years ago. The survey assessed questions/comments made by the patient, questions/comments made by the physician and patients' interest in obtaining more information than was provided. Number of patients and percentages were given and compared using the w2 or Fisher exact test (as appropriate).ResultsParticipants were 60 men and 40 women, diagnosed with HIV infection a median (IQ) of 18 (15.7–21) years ago, who had a nadir CD4 and CD4 cell count at the study entry of 172 (95–272) and 543 (403–677), respectively. Eighty percent of the subjects had VL <25 copies and 42% were HCV/HIV co‐infected (31 subjects with low fibrosis stage). The infection route had been mainly intravenous drug use (37%) and MSM (32%). Men and women had similar demographic and clinical characteristics. Sixty‐two percent of the participants acknowledged asking their physicians about aging‐associated symptoms (58% men vs 66% women; p=0.50), 48% reported that their physicians had provided information without having been asked (48% men vs 55% women; p=0.51) and 75% confirmed that they would like to have more information about aging‐associated symptoms (22% men vs 80% women; p<0.001).ConclusionsAround half of the men and women interviewed had discussed aging‐associated symptoms with their physician. However, this seemed insufficient for four‐fifths of the women, who would have liked to have obtained more information about aging.