Adherence to Drug-Refill as an Indicator of HIV Treatment Failure
Author Information
Author(s): Ziad El-Khatib, David Katzenstein, Gaetano Marrone, Fatima Laher, Lerato Mohapi, Max Petzold, Lynn Morris, Anna Mia Ekström
Primary Institution: Karolinska Institutet
Hypothesis
Is adherence to drug-refill visits associated with virologic and immunologic failure among HIV patients on first-line ART in South Africa?
Conclusion
Adherence to drug-refill visits is a useful early warning indicator for both virologic and immunologic failure among HIV patients.
Supporting Evidence
- 19% of patients failed virologically after a median of 15 months on ART.
- Cumulative adherence of <95% to drug-refill visits was significantly associated with virologic and immunologic failure.
- Virologic failure rates were 19% vs. 37% among adherent and non-adherent patients respectively by month 48.
Takeaway
If HIV patients don't pick up their medicine on time, it can mean their treatment isn't working well. This study shows that keeping up with medicine refills helps doctors know who might need extra help.
Methodology
A retrospective cohort study was conducted with 456 patients on NNRTI-based ART, analyzing adherence to drug-refill visits and its association with virologic and immunologic failure.
Potential Biases
Potential bias due to reliance on self-reported adherence and medical record accuracy.
Limitations
The study relied on medical records, which may not capture all treatment interruptions or failures.
Participant Demographics
79% women, median age not specified, majority diagnosed between 2001-2004.
Statistical Information
P-Value
p<0.01
Confidence Interval
95%CI 1.2–6.7
Statistical Significance
p<0.01
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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