Abstract
BackgroundPolypharmacy has not been investigated in patients living with HIV in developing countries. The aims of this study were to determine the prevalence of polypharmacy, the factors associated with polypharmacy and whether polypharmacy was associated with adverse effects among older adults on anti-retroviral therapy (ART).MethodsCross-sectional study in older adults aged 50 and over on ART attending an outpatient HIV/AIDS care centre in Uganda. Demographic and clinical data collected on number and type of medications plus supplements, possible medication related side-effects, comorbidity, frailty, cognitive impairment, current CD4 count and viral load.ResultsOf 411 participants, 63 (15.3, 95% C.I. 11.9, 18.8) had polypharmacy (≥ 4 non- HIV medications). In multivariate analyses, polypharmacy was associated with one or more hospitalisations in the last year (Prevalence Ratio PR = 1.8, 95% C.I. 1.1, 3.1, p = 0.02), prescription by an internist (PR = 3.6, 95% C.I. 1.3, 10.5, p = 0.02) and frailty index scores of 5 to 6 (PR = 10.6, 95% C.I. 1.4, 78, p = 0.02), and 7 or more (PR = 17.4, 95% C.I. 2.4, 126.5, p = 0.005). Polypharmacy was not associated with frequency and severity of possible medication related side effects and falls.ConclusionPolypharmacy is common among older HIV infected patients in sub-Saharan Africa. It’s more prevalent among frail people, who have been in hospital in the last year and who have been seen by an internist. We found no evidence that polypharmacy results in any harm but this is worth exploring further.
Highlights
Polypharmacy has not been investigated in patients living with HIV in developing countries
Polypharmacy was less likely in participants who lived in rented residences (PR = 0.4 (95% C.I. 0.1, 0.8)
In multivariate analyses (Table 3), the only characteristics associated with polypharmacy were one or more hospitalisations in the last year (PR = 1.8, 95% C.I. 1.1, 3.1, p = 0.02), prescription by an internist (PR = 3.6, 95% C.I. 1.3, 10.5, p = 0.02) and frailty scores of 5 to 6 (PR = 10.6, 95% C.I. 1.4, 78, p = 0.02), and 7 or more
Summary
Polypharmacy has not been investigated in patients living with HIV in developing countries. The aims of this study were to determine the prevalence of polypharmacy, the factors associated with polypharmacy and whether polypharmacy was associated with adverse effects among older adults on anti-retroviral therapy (ART). Polypharmacy is common among HIV positive older adults on anti-retroviral therapy (ART) compared to younger people with HIV in western countries [1,2,3]. This is the region with the highest burden of HIV [10, 11] where the prevalence of HIV infection among the 74 million people aged ≥50 years is 4.0% [12]. The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of polypharmacy, the factors
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