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Women with HIV had increased epigenetic age acceleration and reduced DNA methylation-estimated telomere length.

Accelerated epigenetic aging is seen in women with HIV versus women without HIV, according to a study published in the Journal of Infectious Diseases. Stephanie Shiau, PhD, MPH, from the Rutgers School of Public Health, and colleagues examined the relationship between accelerated epigenetic aging and musculoskeletal outcomes in women with HIV. The analysis included 118 women with HIV and 72 women without HIV. The researchers found that women with HIV had higher epigenetic age acceleration (mean ± SD, 1.44 ± 5.36 vs -1.88 ± 5.07; P<0.001) and lower DNA methylation-estimated telomere length (7.13 ± 0.31 vs 7.34 ± 0.23, P<0.001) compared with women without HIV. Accelerated epigenetic aging was associated with lower physical function in both groups of women, but it was not significantly associated with bone mineral density.