CAUSE OF ANTIRETROVIRAL DRUG CHANGES AMONG PATIENTS ON ANTIRETROVIRAL THERAPY AT THE ART CENTER IN DESSEI REGIONAL REFERRAL HOSPITAL, ETHIOPIA

Background: Beside the fact of poor adherence to antiretroviral drugs in resource limited country, serious adverse effects of the drugs and treatment failure complicate the whole management of antiretroviral therapy. Consequently, treatment modification and discontinuation of therapy has become a common phenomenon and hence limitation of treatment option has turn out the major concern of the future HAART. The aim of the study was to assess the factors responsible for modification of ARV regimen in patients taking ARV drugs.

Methods: A cross sectional descriptive study was conducted between January 2007 and December 2007 in Dessie regional referral hospital

Result: One hundred twenty two patients switch their first regimen in Dessie regional referral hospital within the study period. The most frequent prescribed first regimens before switch were AZT/3TC/EFV (36%), AZT/3TC/NVP (27%), D₄T/3TC/EFV (19%) and D₄T/3TC/NVP (18%). Toxicity (66%) followed by co-morbidity (14%) and planning pregnancy (11%) were the most common reasons for modification of antiretroviral therapy .The main toxicity was anemia (64 patients)and peripheral neuropathy (11 patients).

Conclusion   : The proportions of patients who modify HAART in our resource constrained setting present a challenge to the limited treatment options that currently present.