Clinical profile and predictors of viral suppression in HIV-infected older adults at a University Hospital in Kumasi, Ghana

ABSTRACT

Availability of effective antiretroviral therapy (ART) has improved patient survival and older adults (≥50 years old) constitute 10% of the world’s HIV population. However, data on this population are lacking, especially in sub-Saharan Africa. To identify the profile of older adults with HIV infection receiving ART and factors associated with viral suppression. A retrospective cross-sectional study involving HIV patients ≥50 years, registered at a University Hospital in Kumasi, Ghana from January 2010 to July 2020. All study participants had been on ARTs for ≥12 months. Data were analysed using STATA^® and multivariate logistic regression was done to determine the association between variables. We recruited 132 study participants with a mean age of 58.1 years (±6.8). Non-communicable diseases (NCD) comprised the commonest comorbidity (67.4%; n = 89) and hypertension was the most prevalent (47.2%). The mean duration of ART was 63.2 months (±32.0) and approximately 84.1% (n = 111) achieved viral suppression (≤50 copies/ml). After adjustment, factors independently associated with viral suppression were widow(ed) (aOR = 0.23; 95% CI = 0.07–0.72) and good ART adherence (aOR = 3.51; 95% CI = 1.03–11.99). Hypertension is prevalent among this cohort of HIV patients. Approximately 84% of elderly patients on ARTs achieve viral suppression, influenced by widowhood and good drug adherence.

KEYWORDS:

• Older adults
• HIV
• viral suppression
• comorbidities
• Ghana

Acknowledgements

We acknowledge the support of the management and staff of the University Hospital, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Kumasi, especially dedicated staff at the Infectious Disease Unit.

Disclosure statement

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