Are Physical Fitness and CRP Related to Framingham Risk Score in HIV+ Adults?

John E Lewis; Jillian Poles; Eleanor Garretson; Eduard Tiozzo; Sharon Goldberg; Carmen S G Campbell; Herbert G Simões; Judi M Woolger; Janet Konefal

doi:10.1177/1559827620904345

Are Physical Fitness and CRP Related to Framingham Risk Score in HIV+ Adults?

Am J Lifestyle Med. 2020 Feb 11;16(2):229-240. doi: 10.1177/1559827620904345. eCollection 2022 Mar-Apr.

Authors

John E Lewis^{1

2

3

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6}, Jillian Poles^{1

2

3

4

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6}, Eleanor Garretson^{1

2

3

4

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6}, Eduard Tiozzo^{1

2

3

4

5

6}, Sharon Goldberg^{1

2

3

4

5

6}, Carmen S G Campbell^{1

2

3

4

5

6}, Herbert G Simões^{1

2

3

4

5

6}, Judi M Woolger^{1

2

3

4

5

6}, Janet Konefal^{1

2

3

4

5

6}

Affiliations

¹ Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, Florida (JEL, EG, ET).
² Department of Kinesiology and Sport Sciences, University of Miami School of Education and Human Development, Miami, Florida (JP).
³ Department of Medicine, University of New Mexico School of Medicine, Albuquerque, New Mexico (SG).
⁴ Catholic University of Brasilia, Brasilia, Brazil (CSGC, HGS).
⁵ Department of Medicine, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, Florida (JMW).
⁶ Department of Family Medicine and Community Health, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, Florida (JK).

Abstract

Background. People living with HIV (PLWH) have increased risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD). The Framingham Risk Score (FRS) predicts a 10-year CVD risk. Its relationships to physical fitness and C-reactive protein (CRP) are not well established. The current aim is to determine the links between FRS, physical fitness, and CRP in PLWH. Methods. Participants (n = 87) were assessed on multiple biomarkers. The FRS was calculated with the respective variables. Other variables that correlated significantly with FRS were entered into a regression equation to determine their relationship to FRS. Results. The FRS for men was more than twice that for women (12.8 vs 6.0, P < .001). Men were more fit than women, but most participants were not fit. Aerobic capacity was predictive of FRS in men, but not in women, and muscular strength was not predictive of FRS. Women had more than double the CRP compared with men (7.9 vs 3.5 mg/L, P < .01), and it was unrelated to FRS. Conclusions. In men, aerobic capacity was significantly predictive of FRS, but muscular strength and CRP were unrelated to FRS in both genders. These results do not conclusively demonstrate that physical fitness and CRP are related to FRS in PLWH.

Keywords: C-reactive protein; Framingham Risk Score; aerobic capacity; muscular strength; people living with HIV.