TY - JOUR
T1 - The reason for regimen change among HIV/AIDS patients initiated on first line highly active antiretroviral therapy in Southern Ethiopia
AU - Woldemedhin, Beharu
AU - Wabe, Nasir Tajure
PY - 2012/1/1
Y1 - 2012/1/1
N2 - Background: Highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) has markedly decreased the morbidity and mortality due to HIV disease. However, toxicities, comorbidity, pregnancy, and treatment failure, among others, would result in frequent initial HAART regimen change. Aim: The study was designed to assess the causes of initial highly active antiretroviral therapeutic regimen changes among patients on HAART. Materials and Methods: The study was conducted using a retrospective institution-based study, by reviewing the patient information sheet and physician diagnosis cards. Patient cards that showed a change in the initial treatment regimen were assessed and analyzed, to identify the common reason that resulted in a change from the initial treatment regimen. The data was analyzed using SPSS version 16.0. Results: A total of 340 patient cards were assessed. The majority of the patients (69.29%) were females. The most common first regimen, before the first switch, was stavudine / lamivudine / nevirapine (D4T/3TC/NVP) (54.70%) and stavudine / lamivudine / Efavirenz (D4T/3TC/EFV) (20.88%). The main reasons for modification were toxicity, comorbidity, pregnancy, and treatment failure. The main types of toxicities observed were peripheral neuropathy (36.52%), rash (17.83%), and anemia (17.39%). Conclusion: Toxicity was the main reason for the modification of initial HAART among the study population. Efavirenz-based regimens had the lowest hazard for change relatively, except in pregnancy-related cases.
AB - Background: Highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) has markedly decreased the morbidity and mortality due to HIV disease. However, toxicities, comorbidity, pregnancy, and treatment failure, among others, would result in frequent initial HAART regimen change. Aim: The study was designed to assess the causes of initial highly active antiretroviral therapeutic regimen changes among patients on HAART. Materials and Methods: The study was conducted using a retrospective institution-based study, by reviewing the patient information sheet and physician diagnosis cards. Patient cards that showed a change in the initial treatment regimen were assessed and analyzed, to identify the common reason that resulted in a change from the initial treatment regimen. The data was analyzed using SPSS version 16.0. Results: A total of 340 patient cards were assessed. The majority of the patients (69.29%) were females. The most common first regimen, before the first switch, was stavudine / lamivudine / nevirapine (D4T/3TC/NVP) (54.70%) and stavudine / lamivudine / Efavirenz (D4T/3TC/EFV) (20.88%). The main reasons for modification were toxicity, comorbidity, pregnancy, and treatment failure. The main types of toxicities observed were peripheral neuropathy (36.52%), rash (17.83%), and anemia (17.39%). Conclusion: Toxicity was the main reason for the modification of initial HAART among the study population. Efavirenz-based regimens had the lowest hazard for change relatively, except in pregnancy-related cases.
KW - Ethiopia
KW - HAART
KW - Initial regimen
KW - Switch
KW - Toxicity
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=84857152715&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.4103/1947-2714.92898
DO - 10.4103/1947-2714.92898
M3 - Review article
VL - 4
SP - 19
EP - 23
JO - North American Journal of Medical Sciences
JF - North American Journal of Medical Sciences
SN - 2250-1541
IS - 1
ER -