Trends in mortality and causes of death among women with HIV in the United States: a 10-year study

Summary:

We examined trends in mortality (death) for HIV-infected women in the WIHS. We found that the mortality rate decreased dramatically when active anti-HIV drugs came into wide use but that mortality rates have not continued to fall over time. The stabilized mortality rate is still 3 higher than HIV uninfected women in WIHS and about 10 times higher than similar US women age group as a whole. We found that non-AIDS deaths have increased over time and now make up about half of the deaths among HIV-infected women. The most common causes of non-AIDS death are liver disease, cardiovascular disease, non-AIDS cancers and overdose or trauma. Active hepatitis B and C and depressive symptoms over the course of follow-up were associated with higher mortality in this study.

Citation:

French A, Gawel S, Hershow R, Benning L, Hessol N, Levine A, Anastos K, Augenbraun M, and Cohen M. Trends in Mortality and Cause of Death among Women with HIV in the US: A Tenyear Study. J Acquir Immune Defic Syndr 2009;51(4):399-406.