title: [Evaluation of a program for assessing adherence to antiretroviral treatment].
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Poor adherence to antiretroviral treatment (ART) is the commonest cause of treatment failure in children and adults living with HIV, and this is especially important during adolescence. Therefore, any analysis of ART effectiveness in children should include an evaluation of adherence to ART. The aim of this study is to assess the usefulness of an ART adherence monitoring program in an HIV-infected paediatric population.
  
  
  METHODS
  An observational and cross-sectional study was performed, within the framework of the "Health Education Program for Optimising Adherence in Paediatric Patients with HIV", which is part of the "I am not alone" project. Adherence was assessed simultaneously by different methods: personal interview, therapeutic drug monitoring, pharmacy dispensing records and evolution of viral load and T CD4+ lymphocyte count.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Twenty patients were included (50% female, median age 14.5 years). Percentage of self-reported full adherence was 90% (95% CI: 70-97.2%); however, the median adherence percentage according to pharmacy dispensing records was significantly lower (83.3%, SD=32.88). The average of drugs and dosage forms per day were 3.5 (SD=0.83) and 5.5 (SD=2.72), respectively. There was an inverse relationship between the number of dosage forms per day and adherence scores (F=13.8; P=.002). No single method was statistically related to adherence, although therapeutic drug monitoring showed a trend towards significance.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Global adherence to ART was high and was easier with simpler regimens. Self-reported adherence overestimated real adherence to ART in our cohort. The simultaneous use of different methods to assess adherence is recommended in HIV-infected children.
authors.affiliation: Servicio de Farmàcia, Hospital Universitari Vall d'Hebron, Barcelona, España.
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Valdivia Vadell
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Soler-Palacín
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Martín-Nalda
authors.forename: M J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Cabañas Poy
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Clemente Bautista
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Espiau Guarner
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Figueras Nadal
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D044966:Anti-Retroviral Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000188:drug therapy*; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D055118:Medication Adherence; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
chemical_list: D044966:Anti-Retroviral Agents