Examination of the Reasons for Change in Treatment in Patients Infected with Human Immunodeficiency Virus

Abstract

Introduction: Highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) has significantly reduced morbidity and mortality in patients infected with Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). Despite this success, the sustainability of the initial treatment regimen has become difficult as patients continue the treatment for life. Highly active antiretroviral therapy regimen change may often be necessary due to intolerance/toxicity, pregnancy, comorbidities, difficulty in patient compliance and failure to achieve virological suppression. In this study, it was aimed to examine the reasons for HAART change in patients followed up for HIV/AIDS in Hatay Mustafa Kemal University, Tayfur Ata Sökmen Faculty of Medicine Hospital. Materials and Methods: In this retrospective, cross-sectional, single-center study, 151 patients followed up at Hatay Mustafa Kemal University, Tayfur Ata Sökmen Medical Faculty Hospital for HIV between January 2018 and December 2020 were included in the study. Results: One hundred-seventeen (77.5%) of the cases were male and 34 (22.5%) were female. The mean age was 39.08±14.2 years (20-83). Treatment changes were made in 35 (23.2%) of the cases. The most common reason for treatment change was intolerance/toxicity (19) in 12.6% of cases. Other reasons for change; pregnancy was six (4%), treatment non-compliance was four (2.6%), patient request was three (2%), and physician decision was three (2%). No drug changes were detected in the cases due to virological failure. Conclusion: There is generally little data available in Turkey on the reasons for regime change in HIV patients using HAART. Therefore, the data we will obtain in this study can help draw a long-term plan for HAART drug management.

Keywords

• hiv
• highly active antiretroviral therapy
• change in therapy