Associations Between Neurocognitive Impairment and Biomarkers of Poor Physiologic Reserve in a Clinic-Based Sample of Older Adults Living with HIV

Data from a cross-sectional study of a clinic-based sample of older people living with HIV (PLWH; n = 100) were used to examine associations between biomarkers of physical health and neurocognitive impairment (NCI). In this sample, anemia, chronic kidney disease (CKD) stages 4-5, and hypocalcemia were associated with impairment in executive functioning or processing speed. Furthermore, participants with anemia were more likely to have CD4+ T cell counts <200 cells/mm(3) (chi(2) [1] 5 19.57, p < .001); hypocalcemia (chi(2) [1] 5 17.55, p < .001); and CKD 4-5 (chi(2) [2] 5 10.12, p = .006). Black and Hispanic participants were more likely to be anemic compared to other races and ethnicities (chi(2) [3] = 12.76, p = .005). Common medical conditions (e.g., anemia, hypocalcemia, CKD) should be investigated as potential contributors to NCI in older PLWH. Additionally, laboratory testing in racial/ethnic minority PLWH may help inform NCI screening. Copyright (C) 2016 Association of Nurses in AIDS Care