Journal of the International Association of Providers of AIDS Care
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J Int Assoc Provid AIDS Care · Mar 2014
High prevalence of low skeletal muscle mass associated with male gender in midlife and older HIV-infected persons despite CD4 cell reconstitution and viral suppression.
Therapeutic goals for HIV-infected patients receiving antiretroviral therapy include minimizing risk of future physical disability. Presarcopenia and sarcopenia precede age-associated physical disability. We investigated their prevalence and the predictive value of patient mid-upper arm circumference (MUAC) for them. ⋯ Finding that a participant did not have a MUAC <25th percentile on physical examination had a 90.4% negative predictive value for presarcopenia. Although sarcopenia was uncommon, presarcopenia was highly prevalent in midlife and older HIV-infected males. Determination of MUAC percentile may identify those least likely to demonstrate skeletal muscle deficit and improve patient selection for mass and function testing.