College of Medicine, University of Arizona

2 ARTICLES PUBLISHED IN JoVE

Medicine

Measuring Frailty in HIV-infected Individuals. Identification of Frail Patients is the First Step to Amelioration and Reversal of Frailty

Hilary C. Rees¹, Voichita Ianas¹, Patricia McCracken¹, Shannon Smith¹, Anca Georgescu¹, Tirdad Zangeneh¹, Jane Mohler², Stephen A. Klotz¹

¹Division of Infectious Diseases, University of Arizona, ²Arizona Center on Aging, University of Arizona

Frailty syndrome is commonly seen in the aged and reflects multi-system physiological change. However, with reduced functional reserve and resilience frailty is also known to be common in the HIV infected population. This study outlined an easily administered screening test to identify HIV patients with frailty. When significant components of frailty are identified, clinicians will be able to focus on amelioration of the problem and promote reversion to the pre-frail state.

Medicine

Exergaming in Older People Living with HIV Improves Balance, Mobility and Ameliorates Some Aspects of Frailty

Suhitha Veeravelli¹, Bijan Najafi³, Ivan Marin³, Fernando Blumenkron², Shannon Smith², Stephen A. Klotz²

¹Department of Surgery, Interdisciplinary Consortium on Advanced Motion Performance (iCAMP), College of Medicine, University of Arizona, ²Department of Medicine, Division of Infectious Disease, College of Medicine, University of Arizona, ³Interdisciplinary Consortium on Advanced Motion Performance (iCAMP), Division of Vascular Surgery and Endovascular Therapy, Michael E. DeBakey Department of Surgery, Baylor College of Medicine

Persons infected with HIV are often frail, depressed and live a sedentary lifestyle for which conventional exercise is too taxing. Here, we present an exercise protocol that ameliorates aspects of frailty in HIV-infected persons. An exergame integrating cognitive control was developed using biosensors that measured balance, weight-shifting and obstacle crossing.