Evidence map›Paper›PMID 41436941›Full record

ArticleBMC geriatrics2025

A cohort study of growth differentiating factor - 15 (GDF-15) and Interleukin-6 (IL-6) as biomarkers of healthy aging in older adults living with HIV.

Miriam Dushoff, Dawn M E Bowdish, Alice Zhabokritsky, Leif Erik Lovblom, Marina B Klein, Bryan Boyachuk, Julian M Falutz, Mona Loutfy, Graham H R Smith, Darrell H S Tan and 2 more

Abstract read
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In one paragraph

Article in BMC geriatrics, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 3 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
3citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

3 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Article
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4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

12 authors.

Miriam DushoffDepartment of Medicine, McMaster University, 1200 Main Street West 4th Floor MDCL 4020, Hamilton, ON, L8N 3Z5, Canada.
Dawn M E BowdishDepartment of Medicine, McMaster University, 1200 Main Street West 4th Floor MDCL 4020, Hamilton, ON, L8N 3Z5, Canada.
Alice ZhabokritskyDivision of Infectious Diseases, University Health Network, 200 Elizabeth street, ON, Toronto, M5G2C4, Canada.
Leif Erik LovblomBiostatistics Department, University Health Network, 700 University Avenue 2nd Floor, ON, Toronto, M5G 1X6, Canada.
Marina B KleinMcGill University Health Center, 1001 Decarie Boulevard D02.4110, Montreal, QC, H4A 3J1, Canada.
Bryan BoyachukDivision of Infectious Diseases, University Health Network, 200 Elizabeth street, ON, Toronto, M5G2C4, Canada.
Julian M FalutzMcGill University Health Center, 1001 Decarie Boulevard D02.4110, Montreal, QC, H4A 3J1, Canada.
Mona LoutfyFaculty of Medicine, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada.
Graham H R SmithMaple Leaf Medical Center, 14 College Street Suite 501, Toronto, ON, M5G K2, Canada.
Darrell H S TanFaculty of Medicine, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada.
Braeden CowbroughDepartment of Medicine, McMaster University, 1200 Main Street West 4th Floor MDCL 4020, Hamilton, ON, L8N 3Z5, Canada.
Sharon L WalmsleyDivision of Infectious Diseases, University Health Network, 200 Elizabeth street, ON, Toronto, M5G2C4, Canada. sharon.walmsley@uhn.ca.

Funding

Canadian HIV Trials Network, Canadian Institutes of Health Research CTN 314CIHR HAL 157983
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundThe median age of Canadians living with HIV will exceed 65 years in the next decade. Compared to HIV-negative counterparts, people living with HIV exhibit elevated serum levels of inflammatory markers. In the general population, increased levels of some markers are linked to comorbidity, frailty, cognitive decline, and mortality. To date there are no HIV-specific biomarkers to measure and monitor healthy aging or to serve as endpoints in the evaluation of relevant interventions. This study aimed to evaluate inflammatory markers as indicators of healthy aging in older people living with HIV.

methodsWe analyzed data from 268 consenting participants enrolled in a sub-study of the Correlates of Healthy Aging in Geriatric HIV (CHANGE HIV) study. Serum samples, demographic information and healthy aging data were collected at cohort entry. Data from one participant with HIV RNA > 200/ml were excluded. Serum levels of the biomarkers CRP (C-reactive protein), D-dimer, GDF-15 (growth differentiating factor-15), and IL-6 (interleukin-6) were quantified using ELISA and compared primarily to scores on the Rotterdam Healthy Aging Score (HAS). Statistical analyses were conducted using Spearman’s correlation and a multivariate regression model which included covariates age, race, sex, years living with HIV, body mass index and CD4 count nadir.

resultsParticipants had a median age of 72 years (range 65–81), and were predominantly male (92%) and White (79%). They had been living with HIV for a median of 31 years and were representative of the main CHANGE HIV study cohort. The participants had a median HAS of 12 (range 3–14). The median (IQR) for GDF-15 and IL-6 were 1810 (1310–2700) pg/ml and 3.49 (2.43–5.77) pg/ml respectively. GDF-15 and IL-6 levels were negatively associated with the HAS (R = -0.35 and − 0.27), p < 0.001 for both comparisons. The correlation persisted after adjustment for covariates. CRP (median 1.75, IQR 0.711, 4.29) ug/ml and D-Dimer (median 0.362, IQR 0.209–0.846) ug/ml did not show a clear association with HAS.

conclusionsOur results suggest further evaluation of GDF-15 and IL-6 as potential biomarkers for healthy aging in older adults living with HIV including studies testing the clinical utility of GDF-15 and IL-6 as outcomes in clinical care and in interventional studies.

trial registrationClinical trial number not applicable.

Indexed as

Growth Differentiation Factor 15Healthy AgingHIV InfectionsInterleukin-6AgedBiomarkersCohort StudiesFemaleHumansMaleMiddle AgedBiomarkersGDF15 protein, humanGrowth Differentiation Factor 15IL6 protein, humanInterleukin-6BiomarkersGDF-15HealthHIVIL-2

Identifiers

PMID41436941
PMCPMC12836993

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Registered trials

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.