Comorbidities and polypharmacy among HIV-positive patients aged 50 years and over: a case–control study

Table 1 Profile characteristics of infection (n = 125)

Characteristics	Age < 50 years, n = 65 (IQR*)	Age ≥ 50 years, n = 60 (IQR*)	P value
Years since diagnosis	1 (0.8–3.5)	7 (2–16)	< 0.001
CD4+ cell count, cells/mm³	384 (262–562)	509 (324–730)	0.021
HIV log₁₀ HIV RNA	1.27 (1.27–2.24)	1.27 (1.27–1.27)	0.003
HIV RNA viral load < 50 copies/mL^a, number (%)	41 (63%)	48 (80%)	0.015
Total number of drugs used, ART plus non-ART	4 (3–5)	6 (4–8)	< 0.001
Total number of ART drugs used^b	3 (3–4)	4 (3–4)	0.002
Total number of comorbidities found	2 (1–3)	3.5 (2–5)	< 0.001
BMI, kg/m²	23.75 (21.61–26.05)	25.52 (22.96–28.51)	0.018
Accumulated exposure/smoking index	0.1 (0–0.75)	0.1 (0–9.7)	< 0.001

*Data are presented as the median (IQR) unless indicated otherwise
^aPer log₁₀ copies/mL increase (centered at 1.30, level of detection)
^bOnly patients with current ART (9 younger patients did not have medically indicated treatment)