Guides › Introduction to combination therapy

Is age an important factor in adults?

As you get older, it becomes more important to be on treatment.

The UK treatment guidelines (www.bhiva.org) include a useful table on the risk of AIDS illnesses at different CD4 and viral load levels.

Importantly, this includes separate tables for ages 25, 35, 45 and 55. All risks increase with age.

Many researchers are looking at HIV and ageing. This is becoming a specialist subject and HIV services are changing to reflect this. New services are being developed for older patients.

Starting treatment in your 20s or 30s may help your immune system by keeping your thymus working longer. This small organ makes the type of CD4 cells (called naive cells) that develop new immune responses.

July 2010

Decisions relating to your treatment should always be taken in consultation with your doctor. Information in this guide is intended to support those discussions.

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