Abstract Background Age‐related comorbidities occur earlier and more frequently in people with HIV (PWH) than in the general population and have emerged as a key challenge in long‐term HIV care. Unfortunately, many of these conditions remain undiagnosed, and systematic screening in clinical practice remains limited. Therefore, we aimed to assess the burden of unrecognized age‐related comorbidities in a clinical outpatient setting. Methods This cross‐sectional cohort study was conducted from November 2023 to March 2025 at the HIV outpatient clinic, Copenhagen University Hospital, Rigshospitalet. A structured screening procedure was implemented to assess unrecognized comorbidities among PWH aged ≥60 years. The screening comprised multiple guideline‐recommended risk evaluations, including 10‐year cardiovascular risk score (SCORE2), 10‐year fracture risk assessment (FRAX), assessment of chronic lung disease and frailty. Results A total of 387/532 (72.7%) eligible patients participated. Of patients without a history of cardiovascular disease, 203/300 (67.6%) were categorized as high risk and 57/300 (19%) as very‐high risk by SCORE2. Primary preventive lipid‐lowering therapy was prescribed in 75/203 (36.9%) and 18/57 (31.6%) in the high‐risk and very‐high risk groups, respectively. Of participants without prior chronic lung disease, 29/324 (9%) reported symptoms, and 20/260 (7.7%) with available spirometry had airflow limitation. Among PWH without a history of osteoporosis, 127/335 (37.9%) were categorized as high risk of major fracture and/or hip fracture. Pre‐frailty or frailty was identified in 88/387 (22.7%) patients. Conclusion The considerable burden of unrecognized age‐related comorbidities in PWH ≥60 years of age highlights the need for a systematic approach to early detection and preventative management.
Roed et al. (Sun,) studied this question.
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