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Herpesvirus Infections and Risk of Frailty and Mortality in Older Women: Women's Health and Aging Studies
Author(s) -
Wang George C.,
Han Christina,
Detrick Barbara,
Casolaro Vincenzo,
Levine David M.,
Fried Linda P.,
Walston Jeremy D.
Publication year - 2016
Publication title -
journal of the american geriatrics society
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.992
H-Index - 232
eISSN - 1532-5415
pISSN - 0002-8614
DOI - 10.1111/jgs.14090
Subject(s) - medicine , gerontology
Objectives To examine the relationship between herpesvirus infections and mortality and incident frailty risks in community‐dwelling older women. Design Nested prospective cohort study. Setting Women's Health and Aging Studies I and II. Participants Community‐dwelling older women aged 70 to 79 (n = 633). Measurements Baseline serum antibody (immunoglobulin G) levels against four herpesviruses (herpes simplex virus types 1 (HSV‐1) and 2 (HSV‐2), varicella‐zoster virus (VZV), 7 Epstein‐Barr virus (EBV)), 3‐year incident frailty rates, and 5‐year mortality. Results Women seropositive for HSV‐1 and HSV‐2, but not VZV and EBV, had higher risk of 3‐year incident frailty (HSV‐1: hazard ratio (HR) = 1.90, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 0.96–3.74; HSV‐2: HR = 2.10, 95% CI = 1.05–4.37) and 5‐year mortality (HR = 1.73, 95% CI = 0.93–3.20; HR = 1.80, 95% CI = 0.94–3.44, respectively) than seronegative women. Incremental increases in serum HSV‐1 and HSV‐2 antibody levels were associated with incrementally higher risks of incident frailty and mortality. After adjustment for potential confounders, only higher serum HSV‐2 antibody level was independently predictive of higher risk of mortality in older women (for each unit increase in antibody index, HR = 1.47, 95% CI = 1.05–2.07). Conclusion HSV‐1 and HSV‐2 antibody levels are not independently associated with risk of incident frailty in older women. Only HSV‐2 antibody level is independently predictive of 5‐year mortality risk, with each incremental increase in the antibody level adding further risk.