Reasons for Regimen Change Among HIV/AIDS Patients Initiated on First Line Highly Active Antiretroviral Therapy in Fitche Hospital, Oromia, Ethiopia

Background: - Highly active antiretroviral therapies are the drugs of HIV/AIDS treatment with no cure. Even though they inhibit viral replication, they may cause a number of adverse effects; which may end with treatment failure and/or regimen changes. Objective: - The study was aimed to determine the reasons for HAART regimen change among HIV/AIDS Patients on first line HAART during 12 months follow up in Fitche Hospital, ART Clinic. Methodology: - Hospital based retrospective study was conducted at Fitche Hospital, ART Clinic from January 28 to February 12, 2013 by reviewing patients' information sheets and physician diagnostic cards. The data was categorized and analyzed manually using calculator for statistical analysis. The results has been interpreted and presented by tables and graphs. Results: - Majority of the patients 29(42.65%) were on D4T/3TC/NVP at the beginning of the Highly Active Antiretroviral Treatment. The main reason for regimen change was toxicity 56(72.73%) followed by, treatment failure 11 (14.23%), new drug available 7(9.09%), co morbidity 2(2.60%), and 1(1.30%) patient refused to took the drug. From all the toxicities reported, lipoatrophy, which accounted for 73.47% of the toxicities, was the most common. Conclusion: - Results shows that majority of patients were initiated D4T/3TC/NVP compared to other regimens. Toxicity appears as the main reason for treatment and regimen change in this study. The other reasons include; treatment failure, new drug available, co morbidity and patient refused to took the drug respectively.