title: Number of daily pills, dosing schedule, self-reported adherence and health status in 2010: a large cross-sectional study of HIV-infected patients on antiretroviral therapy.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The aim of the study was to assess whether pill burden is associated with self-reported adherence to current combination antiretroviral regimens and health status in a large sample of unselected and chronically treated HIV-infected patients.
  
  
  METHODS
  An adherence and health status questionnaire was offered to all patients collecting their drugs between March and May 2010 at our clinic; both parameters were primarily evaluated using a visual analogue scale. Linear correlations were evaluated using Spearman's correlation coefficient. Wilcoxon's rank-sum test and the χ(2) test were used to compare quantitative and qualitative variables. The generalized linear model was used in multivariable analyses.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Among 2763 subjects on treatment during the study period, 2114 (78.8% male; mean age 46.9 ± 8.84 years) were tested for adherence; 1803 (85.3%) had viral loads < 50 HIV-1 RNA copies/mL. After adjusting for age, gender, HIV risk factor, current CD4 count, pill burden and dosing interval, adherence was higher in patients with undetectable HIV RNA (P < 0.0001) and directly associated with current CD4 count (P = 0.029). After adjusting for the same variables, health status was better in patients with undetectable viraemia (P = 0.004) and in men who have sex with men (MSM) and heterosexuals compared with injecting drug users and those with other risk factors (P < 0.0001 for MSM and P = 0.008 for heterosexuals); it was also directly associated with current CD4 count (P < 0.0001) and inversely associated with age (P < 0.0001) and pill burden (P = 0.019).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In this highly adherent population, the number of daily pills was related to self-reported health status but not to self-reported adherence, whereas the dosing interval did not influence self-reported adherence or health status.
authors.affiliation: Department of Infectious Diseases, San Raffalele Scientific Institute, Milan, Italy. nicola.gianotti@hsr.it
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Gianotti
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Galli
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Bocchiola
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Cahua
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Panzini
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Zandonà
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Salpietro
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Maillard
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Danise
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Pazzi
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Lazzarin
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Castagna
mesh_terms: D000225:Adenine / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000031:analogs & derivatives*; D019380:Anti-HIV Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D023241:Antiretroviral Therapy, Highly Active; D000069446:Atazanavir Sulfate; D018791:CD4 Lymphocyte Count; D002219:Carbamates / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003841:Deoxycytidine / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000031:analogs & derivatives*; D015224:Dideoxynucleosides / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D004334:Drug Administration Schedule; D004338:Drug Combinations; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D000068257:Efavirenz, Emtricitabine, Tenofovir Disoproxil Fumarate Drug Combination; D005260:Female; D005663:Furans; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000453:epidemiology; D006801:Humans; D007558:Italy / Q000453:epidemiology; D019259:Lamivudine / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D019829:Nevirapine / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D009842:Oligopeptides / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D010755:Organophosphates / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D063065:Organophosphonates / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D010078:Oxazines / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D011725:Pyridines / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D057566:Self Report; D013449:Sulfonamides / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D019562:Viral Load; D016903:Drug Monitoring; D000099227:Abacavir
chemical_list: D000225:Adenine; D019380:Anti-HIV Agents; D000069446:Atazanavir Sulfate; D002219:Carbamates; D003841:Deoxycytidine; D015224:Dideoxynucleosides; D004338:Drug Combinations; D000068257:Efavirenz, Emtricitabine, Tenofovir Disoproxil Fumarate Drug Combination; D005663:Furans; D019259:Lamivudine; D019829:Nevirapine; D009842:Oligopeptides; D010755:Organophosphates; D063065:Organophosphonates; D010078:Oxazines; D011725:Pyridines; D013449:Sulfonamides; C492871:abacavir, lamivudine drug combination; D000099227:Abacavir; C426859:fosamprenavir