Health and sociodemographic factors associated with low muscle strength, muscle mass, and physical performance among people living with HIV

ABSTRACT

This study examined the factors associated with low muscle strength, muscle mass, and physical performance in 331 people living with HIV. Participants completed handgrip as a strength measure, appendicular skeletal muscle mass using bioimpedance analysis, and chair rise was a physical performance measure. Multivariate logistic regression was used to analyze the association between low values on these measures with sociodemographic, HIV-related factors, and comorbidities. Higher body mass index (BMI) (OR = 0.91; CI = 0.86-0.97) and higher CD4/CD8 ratio (OR = 0.38; 95% CI = 0.18-0.82) were associated with decreased likelihood of low handgrip strength. Being non-employed (OR = 2.08; 95% CI = 1.07-4.06), having hypertension (OR = 2.27; 95% CI = 1.13-4.54) and rheumatism (OR = 5.46; 95% CI = 1.68-17.74) increased the chance of low handgrip strength. Higher BMI (OR = 0.43; 95% CI = 0.34-0.56), CD4/CD8 ratio (OR = 0.29; 95% CI = 0.09-0.93), and bioimpedance phase angle (OR = 0.22; 95% CI = 0.12-0.40) were associated with decreased likelihood of low muscle mass. Lastly, having less than eight years of education (OR = 1.87; 95% CI = 1.02-3.41) and being non-employed (OR = 8.18; 95% CI = 3.09-21.61) increased the chance of low chair stand performance. In addition, higher CD4 + lymphocytes count (OR = 0.99; 95% CI = 0.99-0.99) was associated with a decreased likelihood of low chair stand performance. In conclusion, specific and non-specific HIV-related factors are associated with low handgrip strength, low muscle mass, and/or low chair stand performance.

KEYWORDS:

• Muscle function
• physical examination
• muscle strength dynamometer
• muscle weakness
• sarcopenia
• body composition

Acknowledgments

Vitor Oliveira was granted a Brazilian scholarship for a research internship at Dr. Allison Webel’s laboratory in Cleveland, USA, and thanks to the support received during his doctorate (Capes scholarship holder/Sandwich Doctorate Program Abroad/Process # [88881.132132/2016-01]).

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by Brazilian grants from SETI (Secretário de Ciência, Tecnologia e Ensino Superior, Governo do Estado de Parana ) and Ministry of Education  (PI: Rafael Deminice).