OBJECTIVE: To ascertain estimates of adult @entity1 , recorded as @entity12652 ( @entity12652 ) within antiretroviral treatment (ART) programmes, who have self-transferred care, died or truly stopped ART in low- and middle-income countries. METHODS: PubMed, EMBASE, Web of Science, Science Direct, LILACS, IndMed and AIM databases (2003-2013) and IAS/ @entity791 conference abstracts (2011-2013) were searched for tracing studies reporting the proportion of traced @entity1 found to have self-transferred, died or stopped ART. These estimates were then combined using random-effects meta-analysis. Risk of bias was assessed through subgroup and sensitivity analyses. RESULTS: Twenty eight studies were eligible for inclusion, reporting true outcomes for 10  806 traced @entity1 attending approximately 258 ART facilities. None were from outside sub-Saharan Africa. Twenty three studies reported 4.5-54.4% traced @entity12652 @entity1 self-transferring care, providing a pooled estimate of 18.6% (95% CI 15.8-22.0%). A significant positive association was found between rates of self-transfer and @entity12652 in the ART cohort. The pooled estimates for unreported @entity204 were 38.8% (95% CI 30.8-46.8%; 27 studies) and 28.6% (95% CI 21.9-36.0%; 20 studies) for @entity1 stopping ART. A significant decrease in unreported @entity204 from 50.0% (95% CI 41.5-58.4%) to 30.0% (95% CI 21.1-38.9%) was found comparing study periods before and after 31 December 2007. CONCLUSIONS: Substantial unaccounted for transfers and @entity204 amongst @entity1 @entity12652 confirms that retention and mortality is underestimated where the true outcomes of @entity12652 @entity1 are not ascertained.

Self-transfer and mortality amongst adults XXXX in ART programmes in low- and middle-income countries: systematic review and meta-analysis.

@entity1 :: ('9606', 'Species') :: ['patients'] @entity12652 :: ('MESH:C537491', 'Disease') :: ['lost to follow-up', 'LTFU'] @entity791 :: ('MESH:D000163', 'Disease') :: ['AIDS'] @entity204 :: ('MESH:D003643', 'Disease') :: ['deaths']
@entity12652 :: (MESH:C537491,Disease) :: ['lost to follow-up']
