Quality of life assessment among HIV-positive persons entering the INSIGHT Strategic Timing of AntiRetroviral Treatment (START) trial.

ABSTRACT: OBJECTIVES:With HIV treatment prolonging survival and HIV infection now managed as a chronic illness, quality of life (QOL) is important to evaluate in persons living with HIV (PLWH). We assessed at study entry the QOL of antiretroviral-naïve PLWH with CD4 counts >?500 cells/?L in the Strategic Timing of AntiRetroviral Treatment (START) clinical trial. METHODS:QOL was assessed with: (1) a visual analogue scale (VAS) for self-assessment of overall current health; (2) the Short-Form 12-Item Version 2 Health Survey(®) (SF-12V2), for which responses are summarized into eight individual QOL domains plus component summary scores for physical health [the Physical Health Component Summary (PCS)] and mental health [the Mental Health Component Summary (MCS)]. The VAS and eight domain scores were scaled from 0 to 100. Mean QOL measures were calculated overall and by demographic, clinical and behavioural factors. RESULTS:A total of 4631 participants completed the VAS and 4119 the SF-12. The mean VAS score (with standard deviation) was 80.9?±?15.7. Mean SF-12 domain scores were lowest for vitality (66.3?±?26.4) and mental health (68.6?±?21.4), and highest for physical functioning (89.3?±?23.0) and bodily pain (88.0?±?21.4). Using multiple linear regression, PCS scores were lower (P?

SUBMITTER: Lifson AR 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4341945 | biostudies-literature | 2015 Apr

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature