Sex Differences in Response to Antiretroviral Therapy Among People Living With HIV/Aids Attending Art Clinic in Federal Medical Centre, Abuja

Abstract

To assess gender differences in response to antiretroviral therapy among people living with HIV/AIDS attending ART Clinic in Federal Medical Center (FMC), Abuja. A retrospective cross-sectional study was conducted among 595 HIV-positive adult patients attending HIV clinic in FMC Abuja between January 2021 and December 2022. Data was retrieved from the database of ART Clinic, FMC Abuja, for patients who have been on TDF/3TC/DTG regimen for at least six months before viral load testing. A total of 1,150 registered People Living with HIV Aids (PLWHA) received care between January 2021 and December 2022 in FMC Abuja. Only 595 had viral load test within the study period, comprising of 205 (34%) males and 390 (66%) females in a ratio of 1:1.9. The viral load of the study participants ranged from 0 to 3,970,000.00 copies/ml with a standard deviation of 310,099.63 copies/ml. 571 (96%) of the total study participants had viral load less than 1,000 copies/ml, and 200 (35%) of them were males whereas 371 (65%) were females. The remaining 24 (4%) of the study participants who had viral load greater than 1,000 copies/ml were 8 (34%) males and 16 (66%) females. The dif-ferences in the means of viral load between males and females were not statistically significant, with a p-value of 0.054. This study found a very high viral suppression and females were equally virally suppressed as the males.