Background: HAART (Highly active antiretroviral therapy) is the cornerstone of management of patients with HIV infection. Antiretroviral therapy was started in the year 1986 with the first drug Zidovudine (ZDV). Later on, other antiretroviral drugs (NRTIs, NNRTIs and Pls) were introduced. Dual and mono therapies were used initially but the problem of resistance emerged. Currently, 3 or more ARV drugs are recommended globally for the treatment of people with HIV infection.Methods: A cross-sectional descriptive study conducted at a tertiary care Hospital over 200 patients, two commonly used medications are ZLN (Zidovudine+Lamivudine+Nevirapine) and TLE (Tenofovir+Lamivudine+Efavirenz ). The factors considered to affect the clinical and immunologic outcomes in both groups were assessed using baseline CD4 count, WHO clinical staging, presence of chronic diarrhea, anemia, and baseline weight, occurrence of TB, and switching of ART regimen.Results: A total of 200 patients were included in the study. ART documents of 100 patients are on Zidovudine+Lamivudine+Nevirapine) and 100 patients are on TLE (Tenofovir+Lamivudine+Efavirenz) regimen. Out of 200 patients, 97 were males and 103 were females. Maximum number of subjects were in the age of 15-45 years (82.5%) followed by 45 and above (17.5%). Mean age was 34.5±2.5 (years) with range 15 to 65 years. The baseline CD4 count of the patients, 94 were <350 and 6 were ≥350 on ZLN, in case of TLE 82 were <350 and 18 were ≥350. CD4 count after 6 months in 200 patients as follows, 60 were <350 and 40 were ≥350 in case of TLE 53 were <350 and 47 were ≥350.Conclusions: This research finding concluded that there is no critical difference between the two medications in regards to serious adverse events but did find that TDF is superior to AZT in terms of immunologic response and adherence and more frequent emergence of resistance.
Adherence to highly active antiretroviral therapy in a tertiary care hospital in West Bengal, India