RESUMO
OBJECTIVE: This prospective, observational, study evaluates the clinical outcomes, drug utilization patterns, and adherence to treatment of patients on highly active anti retroviral therapy (HAART) at a government institution in Kerala, India. METHODS: Patients who met criteria for treatment of HIV/AIDS were enrolled into the study, given free NNRTI-based combination therapy, and were followed for a period of 6 months. Data regarding demographics, clinical outcome, laboratory results, drug utilization, adherence and adverse effects were collected. Analysis was conducted utilizing descriptive statistics, anova, Fisher-exact, andt-test. RESULTS: One hundred and forty-two patients with HIV-1 were enrolled in the study into three treatment groups. The mean age was 37.88 years, 64% of the patients were male, and 92% were married. Group 1 was given zidovudine, lamivudine, and nevirapine [n = 52 (37%)], group 2 was given lamivudine, stavudine, and nevirapine [n = 51 (36%)], and group 3 was given lamivudine, stavudine, and efavirenz [n = 39 (27%)]. The increase in CD4 was 107.46 (SD: 106.25). Mean medication adherence for the 104 patients who completed the study, was 90.7%; for group 1: 92.06%, group 2: 93.37%1, and group 3: 85.71% (P > 0.05). Forty (38%) patients have at least one adverse event to HARRT, with headache being the most common side effect (11.5%). Mortality rate was 3.5% during the course of the study. CONCLUSION: Provision of free NNRTI-based combination therapy to patients in Kerala, India, resulted in greater than 90% adherence leading to better clinical outcomes in terms of increasing CD4 counts and low mortality, for patients consistently attending a treatment clinic.
