Survival after Long-Term ART Exposure: Findings from an Asian Patient Population Retained in Care beyond 5 Years on ART

Background This study investigated survival in people living with HIV being followed-up from 5 and 10 years after antiretroviral therapy (ART) initiation in a multi-country Asian cohort. Methods We included patients in follow-up >5 years after ART initiation. Factors associated with mortality beyond 5 and 10 years on ART were analysed using competing risk regression with time-updated variables. Results Of 13,495 patients retained after 5 years on ART, 279 subsequently died (0.56/100 person-years). Increased mortality was associated with age >50 years (sub-hazard ratio [sHR] 2.24, 95% CI 1.58, 3.15, compared with ≤40 years), HIV exposure through injecting drug use (sHR 2.17, 95% CI 1.32, 3.56), HIV viral load ≥1,000 copies/ml: sHR 1.52, 95% CI 1.05, 2.21, compared with