A prospective study of highly active antiretroviral therapy in a tertiary-care hospital in south India

Abstract

Background: Acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) caused by human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) is an important health concern worldwide, and AIDS-related morbidity and mortality have seen a sharp decline due to the introduction of highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART). To address the problems of high cost, poor compliance, lack of awareness, social stigma, and occurrence of adverse effects in India, National AIDS Control Organization (NACO) has organized a simplified drug regimen with regular monitoring, counseling, and follow-up by specially trained personnel with necessary laboratory facilities and infrastructure. Objectives: The present study was taken up to assess the efficacy of the NACO-recommended HAART regimen in subjects with HIV in the south Indian population. Materials and Methods: HAART, consisting of two nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors and one non-nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitor, was instituted in 158 properly selected subjects. The initial therapy in most of the subjects was zidovudine (AZT)+lamivudine (3TC)+nevirapine (NVP). AZT was substituted by stavudine (d4T) in patients with Hb%