Adverse clinical health outcomes in older people living with hiv:
an analysis of the ‘ecorsinos’ study
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.15448/2357-9641.2026.1.49815Keywords:
Elderly health, HIV, Infectious Diseases, Geriatrics, Public HealthAbstract
Aging among people living with HIV is associated with an increased risk of multimorbidity, functional impairment, and other geriatric syndromes. However, longitudinal studies evaluating these outcomes remain limited. This study aimed to compare adverse clinical outcomes between older adults living with HIV and HIV-negative older adults after 24 months of follow-up. A prospective cohort study was conducted including 110 participants aged ≥60 years (54 living with HIV and 56 HIV-negative controls) followed between 2022 and 2024. Functional status, cognition, depressive symptoms, falls, hospitalizations, emergency department visits, multimorbidity, polypharmacy, and mortality were assessed using validated instruments. Older adults living with HIV showed higher rates of polypharmacy, drug interactions, and potentially inappropriate medication use, as well as greater functional decline. No significant differences were observed between groups regarding hospitalizations, falls, fractures, mortality, or incident cognitive impairment. The control group demonstrated improved independence in instrumental activities of daily living and fewer emergency department visits during follow-up. Although HIV infection was not associated with an increased risk of major adverse clinical outcomes, older adults living with HIV experienced greater functional decline, highlighting the need for multidisciplinary care focused on preserving functional capacity.Results: Participants were aged between 60 and 82, with 49.1% living with HIV. Although falls and hospitalizations were not associated with HIV, the EPLWH showed worse functionality, while differences in emergency visits were influenced by context-specific conditions such as dengue outbreaks. The control group showed a significant reduction in emergency visits and an increase in independence. Conclusions: The study emphasizes the importance of early diagnosis and appropriate treatment to improve outcomes in EPLWH, as well as raising awareness among health professionals about their specific needs.
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Copyright (c) 2026 Ibrahim Clós Mahmud, Erick da Rosa Lerner, Luísa Dierchx Pereira, Arthur Da Rolt Guedes, Dara Sarubi Almeida, Alana Kalb Rodrigues Moscatelli, Martielo Teló Pedroso, Yindriana Laguna Rodriguez, Adronisia Camara Ochoa, Júlia Palmeiro Orsi, Cátia Aguiar Lenz, Rodolfo Herberto Schneider, Paulo Renato Petersen Behar, Denise Cantarelli Machado
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