Aging with HIV may be related to an earlier development of frailty (weakness) or disability, including difficulties in tests of strength or walking speed. Few treatments have been shown to prevent or slow these impairments in people with or without HIV. Some studies have suggested that the class of drugs called statins (for example, pitavastatin) might be helpful in slowing frailty or disability. This might happen by decreasing fat within the muscle or by decreasing inflammation markers (substances in the blood that determine how the body reacts to infection or irritation) in the blood. Other studies have shown that statins increase the risk of muscle aches and pains. This substudy is being done to determine the impact of the drug pitavastatin on muscle.
A5361s is a prospective study to determine the effects of pitavastatin on physical function. The study will enroll participants enrolled in both REPRIEVE (A5332) and its mechanistic sub-study A5333s or in REPRIEVE (A5332) alone and follow them for 48 months after entry to REPRIEVE (A5332). Treatment groups (pitavastatin vs placebo) will be defined according to randomization in REPRIEVE (A5332). No intervention will be provided in this sub-study.
Study visits are scheduled at PREPARE (A5361s) entry and at months 12, 24, 36 and 48 after REPRIEVE (A5332) entry. Each study visit will include evaluation of physical function, frailty and self-reported physical activity and sedentary time. In addition, demographic and clinical data, laboratory specimens and CT scans collected as part of the main study REPRIEVE (A5332) or its mechanistic sub-study A5333s will be used.