Adverse drug reactions to antiretroviral therapy in aids patients at a tertiary care hospital in India: A prospective observational study

• DOI: 10.4103/0019-5359.99597
• Publication Date: 2012-08-10T09:31:41Z
• Authors: Vandana Tayal; Usha Gupta; Manish Nagpal; Suresh Kumar
• Keywords: Adult; Male; Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome; 0303 health sciences; Anti-HIV Agents; Gastrointestinal Diseases; India; Middle Aged; Severity of Illness Index; Medication Adherence; 3. Good health; Tertiary Care Centers; Stavudine; 03 medical and health sciences; Central Nervous System Diseases; Lamivudine; Humans; Drug Therapy, Combination; Female; Nevirapine

To identify the adverse drug reactions (ADRs) to antiretroviral therapy (ART) and to assess their impact on treatment compliance in patients with HIV/AIDS.Two hundred and thirty-five (235) AIDS patients who received ART were monitored for ADRs over a period of 6 months. The incidence and nature of ADRs occurring with different ART regimens were recorded. We also assessed the severity, causality as well as the impact of ADRs on the patients' compliance.Of 235 patients receiving ART, 90.6% patients experienced ADRs. A total of 618 ADRs involving various systems were observed. A majority were related to gastrointestinal (42.39%) and central nervous (25.57%) system. 23.1% ADRs were severe in intensity. Severe ADRs occurred in 41 out of 235 (17.4%) patients necessitating drug withdrawal. A majority of the patients (87.8%) who complained of severe ADRs received combination of stavudine, lamivudine and nevirapine. Causality assessment revealed 6.63% ADRs were probable and 93.3% ADRs were possible. Non-compliance due to ADRs was observed in 28.9% patients.Myriad ADRs are associated with ART which leads to poor patient compliance. With the increasing access to ART in India, it is prudent that antiretroviral drugs are used judicially with regular monitoring of ADRs.