First-line antiretroviral treatment failure and associated factors in HIV patients at the University of Gondar Teaching Hospital, Gondar, Northwest Ethiopia.
BACKGROUND
Antiretroviral therapy (ART) restores immune function and reduces HIV-related adverse outcomes. But treatment failure erodes this advantage and leads to an increased morbidity and compromised quality of life in HIV patients. The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence and factors associated with first-line ART failure in HIV patients at the University of Gondar Teaching Hospital.


METHODS
A retrospective study was conducted on 340 adults who had started ART during the period of September 2011 to May 2015. Data regarding patients' sociodemographics, baseline characteristics, and treatment-related information were collected through review of their medical charts. Data were analyzed using SPSS version 21. Descriptive statistics, cross-tabs, and binary and multiple logistic regressions were utilized. P<0.05 was used to declare association.


RESULTS
Among the 340 patients enrolled, 205 were females (60.3%). The mean age at ART initiation was 34.4 years. A total of 14 (4.1%) patients were found to have treatment failure. The median duration of treatment failure from initiation of treatment was 17.5 months (8-36 months). Poor adherence to treatment and low baseline CD4 cell count were found to be significant predictors of treatment failure.


CONCLUSIONS
The prevalence of first-line ART failure was 4.1%. Treatment failure was most likely to occur for the patients who had poor drug adherence and those who were delayed to start ART till their CD4 cell count became very low (<100 cells/mm(3)).
Department of Clinical Pharmacy.
Mohammed Biset
MB
Ayalew
Department of Pharmaceutics.
Dawit
D
Kumilachew
Department of Pharmacology.
Assefa
A
Belay
School of Pharmacy, College of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Gondar, Gondar, Ethiopia.
Samson
S
Getu
School of Pharmacy, College of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Gondar, Gondar, Ethiopia.
Derso
D
Teju
School of Pharmacy, College of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Gondar, Gondar, Ethiopia.
Desalegn
D
Endale
School of Pharmacy, College of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Gondar, Gondar, Ethiopia.
Yemisirach
Y
Tsegaye
School of Pharmacy, College of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Gondar, Gondar, Ethiopia.
Zebiba
Z
Wale
adherence; antiretroviral drugs; risk factor; treatment failure