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. 2018 Jun 5;19(1):28.
doi: 10.1186/s40360-018-0220-7.

Determinants of anti-retroviral regimen changes among HIV/AIDS patients of east and west Wollega zone health institutions, Oromia region, west Ethiopia: a cross-sectional study

Amsalu Bokore  1 , Belay Korme  2 , Getu Bayisa  3
Affiliations

Determinants of anti-retroviral regimen changes among HIV/AIDS patients of east and west Wollega zone health institutions, Oromia region, west Ethiopia: a cross-sectional study

Amsalu Bokore et al. BMC Pharmacol Toxicol. .

Abstract

Background: Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) is one of the main causes of morbidity and mortality; because of this it continues to be a major global public health concern. It has believed to kill more than 34 million lives so far. Sub Saharan Africa constitutes about 70% of people living with HIV among the 37 million on the globe. This region, accounted for more than two third of the global new HIV infections and about 15 million (40%) were receiving antiretroviral therapy (ART) at the end of 2014 throught the world. ART has fundamentally changed the treatment of HIV and transformed this infection from a disease of high mortality to chronic and medically managed disease. The issues of drug induced toxicities & complexity of current highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) regimens has remained of great concern. The aim of this study was to determine factors leading to antiretroviral regimen changes among HIV/AIDS Patients in the study area.

Methods: A facility based retrospective cross-sectional study was conducted from April 28, 2017 to May 30, 2017 in the ART clinics of east and west Wollega zone health institutions using a pre-tested data collecting form and chart review. The sample included the 243 patients whose medication had been switched.

Results: Majority 145 (59.67%) of the patients had been on ART for > 10 years duration. More than half 126(51.9%) of the patients had received tuberculosis (TB) treatment and almost three out of five patients (57.2%) had received isoniazid & cotrimoxazole prophylaxis. The most common reason for regimen change was peripheral neuropathy 146(60.1%) and the most common medication for this reason was stavudine, lamivudine and neverapine based 108(44.44%).

Conclusions: The number of patients who changed ARV drug in our resource constrained setting present a challenge to the restricted treatment choices that we currently own. Less toxic and better-tolerated HIV treatment options should be available and used more frequently.

Keywords: ARV drug; HAART; HIV/AIDS; Regimen change; Wollega.

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Conflict of interest statement

Authors’ information

AB is graduated from Jimma University with bachelor of pharmacy, from Unity University with bachelor of arts degree in economics and from Wollega University with masters of public health and has published many original research articles in an international journals, is currently working at Nekemte referral hospital chronic care pharmacy, P.O. Box 25, Nekemte, Ethiopia. BK is graduated from Wollega University with bachelor of pharmacy, is currently working at Nekemte referral hospital chronic care pharmacy, P.O. Box 25, Nekemte, Ethiopia. GB has also published many original research articles in an international journals, is currently a lecturer at Wollega University College of health and medical sciences, department of pharmacy, P.O. Box 395, Nekemte, Ethiopia.

Ethics approval and consent to participate

The study was approved by the ethical review committee of Wollega University. Official letter from the University explaining the aim of the study was submitted to zonal and woreda health offices of east and west Wollega zone and support of the administration was obtained prior to pursuing the study. Informed written consent was obtained from the study participants before data collection and clinical review of patients which was already recorded was used; confidentiality and anonymity of subject was maintained by not recording and identifying details, such as name or any other personal identifiers. No disclosure of any name of the patients, the healthcare provider or drug product was made in relation to the finding. Only numerical identifications were used as a reference. All data forms were stored in a confidential and secure place.

Competing interests

The authors declare that they have no competing interests.

Publisher’s Note

Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.

Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
Years of stay on ART of HIV/AIDS patients who changed their HAART regimen in east and west Wollega zone health institutions, April 28, 2007 to April 28, 2017
See this image and copyright information in PMC

References

    1. Food, Medicine and Health Care Administration and Control Authority (FMHACA); Standard Treatment Guidelines for general hospitals; 3rd edition; Addis Ababa. Ethiopia 2014.
    1. World Health organization (WHO); Fact Sheet; 2015.
    1. Central Statistical Agency Ethiopia and ICF International . Ethiopia demographic and health survey. Addis Ababa, Ethiopia and Calverton, Maryland: Central Statistical Agency and ICF International; 2012.
    1. World Health Organization (WHO). HIV/AIDS Progress in 2014; Update Ethiopia, WHO country office for Ethiopia UNECA compound; Addis Ababa, Ethiopia; March 2015.
    1. Federal democratic republic of Ethiopia . Country progress reports on HIV/AIDS; Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. 2012.

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