Adherence, quality of life, and general satisfaction with co-formulated zidovudine, lamivudine, and abacavir on antiretroviral-experienced patients.
OBJECTIVE
The main objective of the study was to evaluate patients' adherence to a fixed dose combination containing abacavir, zidovudine, and lamivudine (TZV) and to evaluate whether TZV might improve general satisfaction and quality of life (QOL) with anti-HIV treatment.


METHODS
Patients with viral load (VL) <400 copies switched their antiretroviral therapy to TZV. Adherence was assessed by patient self-report and medication accountability at week 24. General satisfaction was evaluated with 10-point Visual Analog Scale (VAS) at baseline and week 24. QOL was assessed with MOS-HIV questionnaire at baseline and weeks 12 and 24. Biochemical and hematological parameters were evaluated for safety reasons.


RESULTS
A total of 224 patients were included in the study. Overall, 81% (intent to treat [ITT]) and 98% (per protocol [PP]) of patients reported an adherence >95%, reaching 75% and 100% among the intravenous drug user population by ITT and PP analysis, respectively. General satisfaction was significantly higher at week 24 (90 +/- 14 vs. 53 +/- 26) in both ITT and PP populations (p<.0001). There were no statistically significant differences in QOL. Total cholesterol and triglycerides levels decreased significantly at week 24 compared to baseline (p<.05).


CONCLUSIONS
Patients who switched to TZV showed an increase in general satisfaction and high levels of adherence.
Clotet
Bonaventura
B
Germans Trias i Pujol Universitary Hospital, Badalona, Spain. bclotet@ns.hugtip.scs.es
Carmena
Jorge
J
Pulido
Federico
F
Luque
Isabel
I
Rodriguez-Alcántara
Felipe
F
D000163:Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome / Q000188:drug therapy*; D000328:Adult; D019380:Anti-HIV Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D044966:Anti-Retroviral Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D015704:CD4 Antigens / Q000097:blood; D015224:Dideoxynucleosides / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D019259:Lamivudine / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008297:Male; D010349:Patient Compliance; D017060:Patient Satisfaction; D011788:Quality of Life; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D015215:Zidovudine / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000099227:Abacavir
D019380:Anti-HIV Agents; D044966:Anti-Retroviral Agents; D015704:CD4 Antigens; D015224:Dideoxynucleosides; D019259:Lamivudine; D015215:Zidovudine; D000099227:Abacavir