Features of menopausal period in HIV-positive women

Abstract

In 2021 in Russia, the proportion of women among HIV-infected patients was 54.6%. In recent years, there has been an increase in the number of female patients of older reproductive age and those in peri- and postmenopause among women living with HIV. Data on the age of onset of menopause and its course in this group of women are contradictory, and clinical recommendations on the features of dispensary observation, the choice of antiretroviral therapy, and the treatment of climacteric syndrome in this group of patients are absent, despite its high frequency and greater intensity of manifestations compared to population indicators. The insufficient amount of research on this topic, low awareness of doctors about the possibilities of prescribing menopausal hormone therapy to HIV-positive patients, and drug interactions between MHT and antiretroviral drugs limit the provision of effective medical care, worsen the quality of life of HIV-positive women, and represent a problem that requires a solution. This article offers a review of modern studies aimed at studying the peculiarities of menopause in women with HIV, the age of its onset, and data on the prescription of MHT. Literature search was conducted on PubMed, and the review includes articles published from 2016 to 2023.