The relationship of cytomegalovirus with physical functioning and health-related quality of life in older adults

Methods 210 participants in the south of England with mean age 69.8 years underwent demographic and medical questionnaires, measures of body composition (bioimpedance analysis), handgrip strength and the short form 36 item survey of quality of life (SF36). All participants had peripheral venepuncture to assess CMV serology and inflammatory markers. Measures of sarcopenia were calculated using European Working Group definitions. Results 51.7% of participants were positive for CMV IgG. There were no significant differences between CMV positive and negative groups in age, gender, measures of sarcopenia or inflammatory markers. CMV positive groups had lower scores in all domains of the SF36, with significantly lower physical function score (88.7 vs 81.3, p = 0.003) as well as total score, limitations due to physical health, energy/fatigue, social functioning and pain. Physical functioning score was significantly correlated with measures of sarcopenia including handgrip strength (r = 0.155 p = 0.026) and appendicular skeletal muscle mass index (r = 0.201, p = 0.005). On linear regression, CMV status was significantly associated with SF36 physical function score (p = 0.004) after adjustment for age, gender, BMI, CRP and handgrip strength. Conclusion CMV positivity is significantly associated with physical function and health-related quality of life in older adults, although its direct relationship to sarcopenia is yet to be fully ascertained.