Impact of Treatment Interruptions on HIV Treatment Failure
Author Information
Author(s): Ncaca Lisa-Noelle, Kranzer Katharina, Orrell Catherine
Primary Institution: Desmond Tutu HIV Foundation, University of Cape Town
Hypothesis
How do treatment interruptions and variations in tablet-taking behavior affect the risk of virological failure in patients on antiretroviral therapy?
Conclusion
Treatment interruptions and variations in tablet-taking behavior significantly increase the risk of virological failure, even among patients with high adherence.
Supporting Evidence
- Cumulative adherence <90% increased the odds of failure by three times.
- At least one episode of adherence variation >10% increased the odds of failure by two times.
- Treatment interruptions increased the odds of failure by four times.
Takeaway
If people with HIV stop taking their medicine for a while or don't take it the same way every time, they are more likely to get sick again, even if they usually take their medicine well.
Methodology
A retrospective matched case-control analysis was performed, comparing patients who experienced virological failure with controls matched by time on ART.
Potential Biases
Potential bias due to reliance on self-reported adherence and missing data during a staff shortage.
Limitations
The study could not capture short treatment interruptions and relied solely on tablet counts for adherence measurement.
Participant Demographics
Median age was 32 years, with 73.8% female participants.
Statistical Information
P-Value
0.041
Confidence Interval
95%CI 1.45–11.10
Statistical Significance
p<0.05
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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