[Study on the risk of mortality and associated factors among HIV-exposed children in Henan province, 2002-2014].

To investigate the status of survival and related risk factors among HIV-exposed children in Henan province from 2002 to 2014. A follow-up program was set up when infants as 1, 3, 6, 9, 12, 18 month olds. Data regarding the HIV-exposed children and their mothers were collected, including service of PMTCT, antiviral therapy, incidence of infectious disease and survival status of infants. Univariate and multivariate logistic regression models were used to explore the risk factors. A total number of 1 705 HIV-infected infants were reported from 2002 to 2014. Among them, 1 536 infants (90.09%) were still alive when they were at one and a half years old, with another 58 (3.40%) lost to follow up and 111 (6.51%) infants were dead. The cumulative mortality rates in HIV-exposed children, newborn, and HIV-exposed infants were 67.39‰, 23.07‰, and 57.01‰, respectively. No statistical significance was found on the decreasing tendency of mortality in different years. The leading cause of death was noticed as pneumonia, with a proportion of 32.43%, followed by suspected AIDS. Early diagnosis had not been made in infants. Low-birth weight (=4.97, 95%: 3.12-7.92) seemed to be a risk factor. Early detection in pregnancy (= 0.46, 95%: 0.26-0.80) and HARRT provided to children (=0.25, 95%: 0.15-0.42) were recognized as protective factors. The mortality of HIV-exposed children were high, which called for the development of programs on early infant diagnosis and HARRT. Measures should be taken to prevent pneumonia and other infectious diseases, together with nutrition support and monitor program on growth.