by
Monica Campo;
Kisann K. Oursler;
Laurence Huang;
Matthew Goetz;
David Rimland;
Guy Soo Hoo;
Sheldon Brown;
Maria Rodriguez-Barradas;
David Au;
Kathleen M. Akguen;
Shahida Shahrir;
Kristina Crothers
Objective: Chronic lung disease has been associated with greater impairment in self-reported physical function in HIV-infected patients. We sought to study this association using objective measures of physical function and pulmonary function.
Design: Baseline data from the Examinations of HIV Associated Lung Emphysema study, a multicenter observational cohort of HIVinfected and uninfected veterans.
Methods: We assessed the association between clinical, laboratory, and pulmonary function measures with 6-minute walk test (6-MWT). Multivariable linear regression models were generated to identify factors associated with 6-MWT performance.
Results: Three hundred forty participants completed 6-MWT (mean age 55 years), with 68% blacks, 94% men, and 62% current smokers. Overall, 180 (53%) were HIV-infected and 63 (19%) had spirometry-defined chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. In a multivariable model, age, current smoking, and obesity (body mass index < 30) were independently associated with lower 6-MWT performance, but HIV infection was not; there was a significant interaction between HIV and chronic cough, such that distance walked among HIV-infected participants with chronic cough was 51.76 m less (P = 0.04) compared with those without cough or HIV. Among HIV-infected participants, the forced expiratory volume in 1 second (FEV1, percent predicted), to a greater extent than total lung capacity or diffusing capacity, attenuated the association with chronic cough; decreased FEV1 was independently associated with lower 6-MWT performance in those with HIV.
Conclusions: Older age, current smoking, and airflow limitation were important determinants of 6-MWT performance in the HIVinfected participants. These findings suggest that potential interventions to improve physical function may include early management of respiratory symptoms and airflow limitation.
by
Keith Sigel;
Juan Wisnivesky;
Shahida Shahrir;
Sheldon Brown;
Amy Justice;
Joon Kim;
Maria Rodriguez-Barradas;
Kathleen Akguen;
David Rimland;
Guy Soo Hoo;
Kristina Crothers
BACKGROUND:: HIV-infected persons have a two-fold to five-fold increased unadjusted risk of lung cancer. In the National Lung Screening Trial (NLST), computed tomography (CT) screening was associated with a reduction in lung cancer mortality among high-risk smokers. These results may not generalize to HIV-infected persons, particularly if they are more likely to have false-positive chest CT findings.
METHODS:: We utilized data including standardized chest CT scans from 160 HIV infected and 139 uninfected Veterans enrolled between 2009 and 2012 in the multicenter Examinations of HIV Associated Lung Emphysema (EXHALE) Study. Abnormal CT findings were abstracted from clinical interpretations of the scans and classified as positive by NLST criteria vs. other findings. Clinical evaluations and diagnoses that ensued were abstracted from the medical record.
RESULTS:: There was no significant difference by HIV in the proportion of CT scans classified as positive by NLST criteria (29% of HIV infected and 24% of HIV uninfected, P=0.3). However, HIV-infected participants with CD4 cell counts less than 200cells/μl had significantly higher odds of positive scans, a finding that persisted in multivariable analysis. Evaluations triggered by abnormal CT scans were also similar in HIV-infected and uninfected participants (all P>0.05).
CONCLUSION:: HIV status was not associated with an increased risk of abnormal findings on CT or increased rates of follow-up testing in clinically stable outpatients with CD4 cell count more than 200. These data reflect favorably on the balance of benefits and harms associated with lung cancer screening for HIV-infected smokers with less severe immunodeficiency.