Prevalence of Adverse Drug Reactions to Highly Active Antiretroviral Therapy (HAART) among HIV Positive Patients in Imam Khomeini Hospital of Tehran, Iran.
OBJECTIVE
The present study assessed the prevalence of adverse drug reactions (ADRs) among HIV positive patients taking antiretroviral therapy referred to Imam Khomeini Hospital in Tehran, Iran.


METHODS
This is a cross sectional study regarding side effects of Highly Active Antiretroviral Therapy (HAART) in HIV positive patients referred to Voluntary Counseling and Testing (VCT) center in Imam Khomeini Hospital of Tehran, Iran during a period of the year 2009 to 2010. Two hundred patients under antiretroviral treatment evaluated for the side effects of drug based on available records, face to face interviews and written lab data.


RESULTS
Data was collected from a sample of 200 HIV positive patients (72% male). Injection drug use was the most common route of HIV transmission. Co-Infections with Hepatitis C virus (HCV) found in the majority of patients (60.5%). Tuberculosis was the most prevalent opportunistic infection. One hundred eighty eight (94%) patients experienced at least one adverse drug reaction. The most frequent clinical and paraclinical findings were skin rash (28%) and abnormal liver function tests (36%).


CONCLUSIONS
Given the high prevalence of adverse drug reactions among HIV positive patients taking antiretroviral therapy (ART) in this study, clinicians should be aware of ADRs at the initiation of ART as complications can affect patients' adherence to the therapy.
Iranian Research Center for HIV/AIDS, Iranian Institute for Reduction of High-Risk Behaviors, Tehran University of Medical Sciences (TUMS), Tehran, Iran.
Hamid E
HE
Koochak
Iranian Research Center for HIV/AIDS, Iranian Institute for Reduction of High-Risk Behaviors, Tehran University of Medical Sciences (TUMS), Tehran, Iran.
Azita
A
Babaii
Iranian Research Center for HIV/AIDS, Iranian Institute for Reduction of High-Risk Behaviors, Tehran University of Medical Sciences (TUMS), Tehran, Iran.
Alia
A
Pourdast
Iranian Research Center for HIV/AIDS, Iranian Institute for Reduction of High-Risk Behaviors, Tehran University of Medical Sciences (TUMS), Tehran, Iran.
Raheleh
R
Golrokhy
Iranian Research Center for HIV/AIDS, Iranian Institute for Reduction of High-Risk Behaviors, Tehran University of Medical Sciences (TUMS), Tehran, Iran.
Mehrnaz
M
Rasoolinejad
Iranian Research Center for HIV/AIDS, Iranian Institute for Reduction of High-Risk Behaviors, Tehran University of Medical Sciences (TUMS), Tehran, Iran.
Sepideh
S
Khodaei
Ziaeian Hospital, Abouzar St., Tehran, Iran.
Saeed R J
SRJ
Moghadam
Ziaeian Hospital, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
Reza R
RR
Taheri
Ziaeian Hospital, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
Seyed Ahmad
SA
Seyed Alinaghi
D017088:AIDS-Related Opportunistic Infections / Q000188:drug therapy; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D019380:Anti-HIV Agents / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D023241:Antiretroviral Therapy, Highly Active / Q000009:adverse effects*; D018791:CD4 Lymphocyte Count; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D060085:Coinfection / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000382:microbiology / Q000821:virology; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000635:transmission / Q000821:virology; D006526:Hepatitis C / Q000150:complications; D006801:Humans; D007492:Iran / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015995:Prevalence; D000074822:Treatment Adherence and Compliance; D014376:Tuberculosis / Q000150:complications; D055815:Young Adult
D019380:Anti-HIV Agents
HIV; adverse drug reaction; antiretroviral therapy; clinical; paraclinical; prevalence