Pilot study assessing the Rotterdam Healthy Aging Score in a cohort of HIV-positive adults in Toronto, Canada

OBJECTIVE: The Rotterdam Healthy Aging Score (HAS) is a validated multidimensional index constructed from five health domains. We describe the HAS distribution in a cohort of HIV-positive adults and correlate it with health outcomes. DESIGN: A cross-sectional pilot study of 101 adults aged at least 40 years, on suppressive antiretroviral therapy attending a tertiary HIV clinic in Toronto, Canada. METHODS: Participants completed questionnaires to calculate their HAS (range 0–14). Demographics, HAS and sub-scores were compared by age and sex. The HAS was compared with results of the Fried Frailty Score, Short Performance Physical Battery score (SPPB) and measures of health utilization. Kruskal--Wallis Rank-Sum and Fisher's exact tests were used for all comparisons. RESULTS: Median (IQR) age was 56 (50--62), 81 (80%) men and 50 (50%) born in Canada. Median (IQR) CD4(+) cell count was 574 (417--794) cells/μl. Median (IQR) HAS was 12 (10--13) with 39 (39%) achieving a score more than 12 (considered healthy aging). Younger participants experienced more depression, whereas women had greater pain. The HAS score correlated with the Fried Frailty Score (P = 0.008) and trended with the SPPB Score (P = 0.077). Those with the poorest HAS scores were more likely to have been hospitalized in the preceding 6 months (P = 0.034). CONCLUSION: The HAS ranged from 5 to 14 in this cohort of older HIV adults with 39% attaining scores in the ‘healthy’ range. The HAS correlated with measures of physical performance and health utilization. Further validation of an objective outcome in HIV-positive patients will facilitate evaluation of interventional studies to improve healthy aging.