14th International AIDS Conference


Barcelona, Spain — July 7-12, 2002

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[TITLE:] Impact of a once-daily three-drug antiretroviral regimen on the quality of life and adherence of HIV-1+ patients with viral load suppression

[AUTHOR(S):] C R Fumaz, A Tuldrà, M Barceló, E Negredo, S Gel, E R Arisa1, M J Ferrer, B Clotet2

Int Conf AIDS. 2002 Jul 7-12;14:Abstract No. WePeB5834

BACKGROUND: Once-daily antiretroviral regimens (QD) may favour patients' (pts) adherence (ADH) to treatment and improve quality of life (QOL) and general satisfaction (GS).

METHODS: Prospective study in which 30 pts with viral load suppression switched their HAART to NVP+ddI+TDF taken once a day to simplify therapy (group 1; G1) while 28 pts remained as controls (group 2; G2). QOL (evaluated with the MOS-HIV questionnaire), ADH (self-reported by pts), effort index to take medication (EI) and GS (both assessed with 10-point Likert scales) were evaluated at baseline (BL) and week (wk) 12. GS referred to: general facility to take medication (GF), number of pills (NP), size of pills (SP), number of doses (ND), timetable (TT), food conditions (FC) and preference of new treatment (PT).

RESULTS: In G1, 1 pt had to discontinue therapy due to NVP-related hepatotoxicity. BL values did not show significant differences between groups. At wk 12, QOL was better in G1 (n=22) when compared with G2 (n=20) in the following health dimensions: mental health (G1:75.5± 11.3 vs G2: 60.7± 14.8; p<0.001), energy (G1:75± 14.7 vs G2: 61.9± 18.3; p=0.01) and general quality of life (G1: 68.6± 12.5 vs G2: 60.2± 10.6; p=0.02). At wk 12, 94% of pts in G1 and 92% in G2 reported an ADH ³95% of consumption of medication prescribed (p=ns). EI was lower in G1 (G1:1.7± 1.9 vs G2:5.2± 2.3; p<0.001) and GS was significantly higher in G1 in the following areas: GF (G1: 9.07± 1.3 vs G2:6.4± 2.7; p=0.05), NP (G1: 7.4± 2.3 vs G2: 3.7± 2.9; p<0.001), ND (G1: 9.6± 1.1 vs G2: 6.7± 3.1; p=0.05) and PT (G1: 9.4± 1.08 vs G2: 6.1± 2.8; p=0.03).

CONCLUSIONS: QD regimens seem to improve some health-related dimensions, especially QOL, permit to maintain a good ADH and increase considerably pts' satisfaction with their antiretroviral therapy.

Presenting author: C R Fumaz

1Fundació Lluita Sida, Ctra. Canyet s/n 08916 Badalona, Spain

2Germans Trias i Pujol University Hospital, Badalona, Spain

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Copyright © 2002 - International AIDS Society (IAS). Reproduction of this abstract (other than one copy for personal reference) must be cleared through the IAS.