title: Pharmacoepidemiology of antiretroviral drugs in a teaching hospital in Lagos, Nigeria.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Prescribing, adherence, and adverse drug events to HAART in a large antiretroviral programme in Lagos was evaluated.
  
  
  METHODS
  A retrospective 5 year open cohort study.
  
  
  METHODS
  The AIDS Prevention Initiative in Nigeria (APIN) clinic at LUTH is one of the United States Presidential Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEP-FAR) funded centers for HIV relief program in Nigeria Participants The case files of 390 patients on HAART and attending the APIN clinic were reviewed sequel to random selection.
  
  
  METHODS
  Demographics of the patients and pattern of antiretroviral (ARV) combination drugs prescribed were extracted from their case files. The details of the adverse drug events (ADEs) were extracted from drug toxicity forms regularly filled for each patient. A Chi-square test with Yates correction was used to determine the association between adherence and therapeutic outcome.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A total of 2944 prescriptions were assessed. Zidovudine + lamivudine + nevirapine (35.87%) and stavudine + lamivudine + nevirapine (35.63%) were the most frequently prescribed combinations. Over 2000 ADEs were reported with cough (13.3%), fever (8.75%) and skin rashes (8.01%) being the most frequently reported. Drug adherence was associated with good therapeutic outcome (χ(2) = 115.60, p<0.0001).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Zidovudine + lamivudine + nevirapine was the most frequently prescribed ARV combination. Cough was the most frequently reported ADE. Interventions aimed at rational prescribing of ARV drugs and improving adherence to antiretroviral drugs is essential for good therapeutic outcome in the treatment of HIV infection.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacology, Therapeutics and Toxicology, College of Medicine, University of Lagos, Lagos, Nigeria, 12003 ; National Pharmacovigilance Centre, National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control, Abuja, Nigeria.
authors.forename: I A
authors.initials: IA
authors.lastname: Oreagba
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacology, Therapeutics and Toxicology, College of Medicine, University of Lagos, Lagos, Nigeria, 12003.
authors.forename: S O
authors.initials: SO
authors.lastname: Usman
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacology, Therapeutics and Toxicology, College of Medicine, University of Lagos, Lagos, Nigeria, 12003.
authors.forename: S O
authors.initials: SO
authors.lastname: Olayemi
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacology, Lagos State University College of Medicine, Ikeja, Lagos, Nigeria.
authors.forename: K A
authors.initials: KA
authors.lastname: Oshikoya
authors.affiliation: AIDS Prevention Initiative in Nigeria (APIN) Clinic, Lagos University Teaching Hospital, Lagos, Nigeria, 12003.
authors.forename: O
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Opanuga
authors.affiliation: AIDS Prevention Initiative in Nigeria (APIN) Clinic, Lagos University Teaching Hospital, Lagos, Nigeria, 12003 ; Department of Haematology and Blood Transfusion, University of Lagos, Lagos, Nigeria.
authors.forename: T A
authors.initials: TA
authors.lastname: Adeyemo
authors.affiliation: AIDS Prevention Initiative in Nigeria (APIN) Clinic, Lagos University Teaching Hospital, Lagos, Nigeria, 12003.
authors.forename: O A
authors.initials: OA
authors.lastname: Lesi
authors.affiliation: Centre for Clinical Pharmacology and Therapeutics University of Ghana Medical School Accra Ghana.
authors.forename: A N
authors.initials: AN
authors.lastname: Dodoo
authors.affiliation: AIDS Prevention Initiative in Nigeria (APIN) Clinic, Lagos University Teaching Hospital, Lagos, Nigeria, 12003 ; Department of Haematology and Blood Transfusion, University of Lagos, Lagos, Nigeria.
authors.forename: A S
authors.initials: AS
authors.lastname: Akanmu
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D044966:Anti-Retroviral Agents / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D023241:Antiretroviral Therapy, Highly Active / Q000009:adverse effects*; D003371:Cough / Q000139:chemically induced; D011307:Drug Prescriptions; D005260:Female; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000188:drug therapy*; D006784:Hospitals, Teaching; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D055118:Medication Adherence; D008875:Middle Aged; D009549:Nigeria; D017891:Pharmacoepidemiology; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D017211:Treatment Failure; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D044966:Anti-Retroviral Agents
keywords: Pharmacoepidemiology; adverse events; antiretroviral drugs; drug adherence