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REVIEW

Life expectancy of HIV-positive adults: a review

Margaret T. May A B and Suzanne M. Ingle A
+ Author Affiliations
- Author Affiliations

A School of Social and Community Medicine, University of Bristol, Bristol BS8 2PS, UK.

B Corresponding author. Email: m.t.may@bristol.ac.uk

Sexual Health 8(4) 526-533 https://doi.org/10.1071/SH11046
Submitted: 11 March 2011  Accepted: 9 June 2011   Published: 30 September 2011

Abstract

We review studies estimating life expectancy (LE), the average number of additional years a person can expect to live, for HIV-positive adults and show variation by sociodemographic factors and level of immunosuppression. The LE of patients starting antiretroviral therapy early in the course of HIV infection and attaining restoration of a normal CD4 count may approach that of the general population. Improvements in treatment and the associated increase in LE imply that increasing numbers of HIV-positive patients will live to older age. Late diagnosis and presentation to care and treatment not concordant with guidelines contribute to reducing LE.

Additional keywords: aging, antiretroviral therapy, CD4, immunosuppression, prognosis, sociodemographics.


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