title: Use of first line antiretroviral therapy from a free ART programme clinic in Pune, India - a preliminary report.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The treatment outcomes under national antiretroviral therapy (ART) programme are being evaluated in some ART centres in the country. We carried out this study to analyze the impact of first line antiretroviral therapy in HIV infected patients attending a free ART roll out national programme clinic in Pune, India.
  
  
  METHODS
  Antiretroviral naive HIV infected patients attending the clinic between December 2005 and April 2008 and followed up till March 31, 2011 were included in the analysis. The enrolment and follow up of these patients were done as per the national guidelines. Viral load estimations were done in a subset of patients. results: One hundred and forty two patients with median CD4 count of 109 cells/μl (IQR: 60-160) were initiated on treatment. The median follow up was 44 months (IQR: 37-53.3 months). Survival analysis showed that the probability of being alive at the end of 5 years was 85 per cent. Overall increase in the median CD4 count was statistically significant (P<0.001). It was significant in patients with >95 per cent adherence (P<0.001). In 14 per cent patients, the absolute CD4 count did not increase by 100 or more cells/μl at the end of 12 months. Viral load estimation in a subset of 68 patients showed undetectable levels in 61 (89.7%) patients after a median duration of 46 months (IQR: 38.3-54.8).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The first line treatment was effective in patients attending the programme clinic. The adherence level influenced immunological and virological outcomes of patients.
authors.affiliation: National AIDS Research Institute (ICMR), Pune, India. mghate@nariindia.org
authors.forename: Manisha
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ghate
authors.forename: Srikanth
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Tripathy
authors.forename: Raman
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Gangakhedkar
authors.forename: Madhuri
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Thakar
authors.forename: Jayanta
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Bhattacharya
authors.forename: Ipsita
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Choudhury
authors.forename: Arun
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Risbud
authors.forename: Shilpa
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Bembalkar
authors.forename: Dileep
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Kadam
authors.forename: Bharat B
authors.initials: BB
authors.lastname: Rewari
authors.forename: Ramesh
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Paranjape
mesh_terms: D000163:Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy* / Q000821:virology; D000328:Adult; D019380:Anti-HIV Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000009:adverse effects; D023241:Antiretroviral Therapy, Highly Active; D018791:CD4 Lymphocyte Count; D005260:Female; D006678:HIV / Q000472:pathogenicity*; D006801:Humans; D007194:India; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010349:Patient Compliance; D016019:Survival Analysis; D019562:Viral Load / Q000235:genetics
chemical_list: D019380:Anti-HIV Agents