Abstract
Background: AIDS can be called our modern pandemic, affecting both industrialized and developing countries. Globally education, counselling and behaviour modification are the cornerstones of an HIV prevention strategy. There has been dramatic decline in AIDS-related morbidity & mortality with introduction of Highly Active Anti-Retroviral Therapy (HAART). To address problems of high cost, need for lifelong therapy, poor compliance, lack of awareness, social stigma and occurrence of adverse effects proper monitoring and evaluation should be undertaken for successful implementation of ART programme.
Objectives: Present study was taken up to assess efficacy of NACO-recommended HAART regimen in antiretroviral therapy naïve subjects with HIV infection.
Material & Methods: 120 properly selected subjects with confirmed HIV infection being newly started on ART were recruited as study subjects. HAART, consisting of two nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors and one non-nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitor, was instituted. The initial therapy in majority of subjects was zidovudine (AZT)+lamivudine (3TC)+nevirapine (NVP). AZT was substituted by tenofovir disoproxil (TDF) in patients with Hb< 9 gm%, whereas NVP was substituted by efavirenz (EFV) in the event of non-availability, adverse effects, or possible interactions. Subjects were monitored at regular intervals for 24 weeks. Efficacy was assessed by response based on CD4 count, TLC count, weight gain, and improvement in functional status, WHO clinical stage and general health.
Results: Majority of subjects showed good clinical improvement with increase in CD4 count. ART showed good tolerability with mild and tolerable side effects. Death occurred only in 2.5%subjects.
Keywords: Acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS), human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART), naïve, efficacy.
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Corresponding Author
Dr Rajat Chhabra
Assistant Professor, Department of Pharmacology, Dr. Shankarrao Chavan Government Medical College, Nanded, Maharashtra
Phone no - +91 7972153228, Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
DOI: https://dx.doi.org/10.18535/jmscr/v5i7.252
