Objective: To describe the distribution of AIDS-related mortality according to the time of occurrence since entry to the System for the Administration, Logistics and Surveillance of Antiretrovirals (SALVAR, in Spanish), among users of Ministry of Health facilities in Mexico.
Materials and methods: Descriptive analysis of AIDS mortality and the related clinical and demographic profile of 41847 patients registered in SALVAR.
Results: 3195 patients (8.1%) died within the study period, 59% of these deaths occurred within six months after treatment initiation. Among those patients, 87.3% were diagnosed late, given their CD4 levels (CD4cel<200 cel/ml³).
Conclusion: Our results underscore the need to strengthen programs aimed to increase opportune HIV diagnosis and linkage to care, as a key component of universal access policy to antiretroviral treatment in Mexico.