title: Quality of life and adherence to HAART in HIV-infected patients.
abstract: A review on adherence to highly active antiretroviral therapy and the quality of life of patients living with HIV in the scientific literature, indexed in MEDLINE between 1998 and 2008, was performed. Studies published in Portuguese, Spanish or English with patients over 18 years of age were included. Reviews, case reports and letters were excluded. Of the 21 studies found, 12 were included (three clinical trials, three prospective cohorts and six cross-sectional studies). The relationship between quality of life and treatment adherence remains controversial, despite descriptive studies indicating the possibility of a positive association. The results may have been influenced by the specific characteristics of the described clinical trials and do not show a consensus regarding the impact of treatment adherence on patients' quality of life.
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Psiquiatria, Universidade Federal de São Paulo, São Paulo, SP, Brasil. lugeocze@gmail.com
authors.forename: Luciana
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Geocze
authors.forename: Samantha
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Mucci
authors.forename: Mario Alfredo
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: De Marco
authors.forename: Luiz Antonio
authors.initials: LA
authors.lastname: Nogueira-Martins
authors.forename: Vanessa de Albuquerque
authors.initials: Vde A
authors.lastname: Citero
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D023241:Antiretroviral Therapy, Highly Active; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000188:drug therapy*; D006801:Humans; D055118:Medication Adherence / Q000523:psychology*; D011788:Quality of Life; D016903:Drug Monitoring