<![CDATA[Opportunistic infections (OIs) remain a major cause of morbidity and mortality in people living with HIV/AIDS (PLWHA). Smoking may impair immune system function and increase susceptibility to infection. However, its association with OIs in PLWHA remains understudied. This systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to evaluate the association between smoking status and OIs among PLWHA. Relevant research reports were identified through searches of Google Scholar, PubMed, and ScienceDirect. English-language studies published between 2011 and 2021 from various countries, including Korea, Ethiopia, and Turkey, were included in the analysis. The pooled estimate was calculated using a fixed-effects model and expressed as an odds ratio (OR) with 95% confidence intervals (CI). Six observational studies examining the association between smoking status and the incidence of OIs in PLWHA were analyzed in this meta-analysis. The results showed that smoking significantly increased the risk of OIs with a pooled OR of 1.76 (95% CI: 1.27–2.45). No significant heterogeneity was found between studies (I²=0%; p=0.86). A study by Kim et al. (2016) in Korea reported the highest OR of 2.27 (95% CI: 1.22–4.22), while a study by Wachamo et al. (2020) in Ethiopia showed the lowest OR of 1.03 (95% CI: 0.28–3.79). The most common OI among PLWHA was candidiasis/oral candidiasis with a prevalence of 28.8%. smoking-cessation interventions should be integrated into HIV care to reduce OI-related morbidity and mortality.]]>
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