Question

Will treatment work if I am over 50 years old?

19 September 2011. Related: All topics, Living with HIV long-term, Starting treatment.

In my early 50s, infected and diagnosed within the last 18 months, numbers good (average CD4 550 and CD4 percentage 26%) I have chosen to start meds early. I’ve read a lot about the prognosis being good with today’s meds but most information refers to younger ages. Although it’s my decision to start meds early it still scares me. For someone of my age starting meds is the prognosis as good for me as it is for someone much younger?

Answer

Answer: Simon Collins

Starting meds when you are over 50 is probably more important, whatever your viral load and CD4 results.

This is more likely to help you live a long an active life than if you wait for a year or two when your CD4 count is lower. There are limited studies looking at the benefits of starting treatment when your CD4 count is still over 500  and some of these report no additional benefit. Nevertheless, ageing is one of the factor where a lot of doctor think starting earlier may be a good idea.

The START study will help answer the question on the benefit of earlier treatment.

Your viral load and CD4 response on treatment should be just as good as someone younger. this would also be expected to normalise your life expectancy to someone of a similar age who was HIV negative.

Looking after you health in other ways is important too. Keeping mentally and physically active, eating a nutritional balanced diet, stopping smoking and reducing excess alcohol etc will also help. This is similar to advise for the general population.

Information on HIV and ageing.