Document 2356
 DOCN  M94A2356
 TI    Socioeconomic characteristics are associated with rate of weight loss in
       homosexual men. Vancouver Lymphadenopathy-AIDS Study.
 DT    9412
 AU    Voigt R; Hogg RS; Craib KJ; Strathdee SA; Zadra J; Montaner JS;
       Schechter MT; UBC & BC Centre for Excellence in HIV/AIDS, Vancouver,
       Canada.
 SO    Int Conf AIDS. 1994 Aug 7-12;10(1):322 (abstract no. PC0220). Unique
       Identifier : AIDSLINE ICA10/94370219
 AB    OBJECTIVE: To characterize socioeconomic determinants of 5% weight loss
       as an event prior to AIDS among HIV-infected homosexual men in the
       Vancouver Lymphadenopathy AIDS Study (VLAS). METHODS: 650 gay men from
       the VLAS with available baseline weights (217 seroprevalent-SP, 116
       seroincident-SI, 317 seronegative-SN) were studied. Baseline weights
       were determined from enrollment for SP and SN men, or the last visit
       prior to seroconversion for SI men. 5% weight loss was treated as an
       event prior to an AIDS diagnosis. Kaplan-Meier (K-M) curves were
       generated stratified by serostatus. K-M curves were also plotted
       stratified by baseline measures of annual income (< $10,000 or > or =
       $10,000) or education (high school graduates vs. non-graduates).
       Subjects were right-censored if AIDS was diagnosed, otherwise at the
       data of a last recorded weight. Statistical significance was determined
       by the logrank test or Wilcoxon test. RESULTS: Age, height and weight of
       SN, SI and SP subjects were nearly identical at baseline (all p > 0.1).
       K-M curves for SN, SI and SP men were significantly different from one
       another (P < 0.0001). Among HIV+ men (SI + SP combined), subjects
       reporting annual incomes < $10,000 at enrollment experienced 5% weight
       loss more quickly (26/77) than men reporting higher incomes (57/252) (p
       = 0.03) (see figure). There was no difference in progression to weight
       loss for high school graduates vs. non-graduates (p = 0.28).
       CONCLUSIONS: Our data demonstrate that low annual income was associated
       with a more rapid weight loss among HIV-infected AIDS-free homosexual
       men. Socioeconomic variables appear to play a significant role in
       determining the likelihood of pre-AIDS clinical events. TABULAR DATA,
       SEE ABSTRACT VOLUME.
 DE    Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome/DIAGNOSIS/*PATHOLOGY  Educational
       Status  *Homosexuality  Human  HIV Seropositivity  *Income  Male
       *Weight Loss  MEETING ABSTRACT

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