Predictors of Time to Viral Load Suppression of Adult PLWHIV on ART in Arba Minch General Hospital A Follow up Study

Abstract

Background: Access to antiretroviral drugs for all infected personsin need is a global health priority. The viral load and CD4 countsshould be monitored regularly. The plasma viral load should bereduced by as much and for as short as possible. Identifying factorsthat predict time to viral load suppression of patients onantiretroviral therapy regimens is thus vital to optimizingtherapeutic success. Therefore, this study aimed to estimate thetime to viral load suppression and identify predictors of time toviral load suppression of patients on antiretroviral therapy at ArbaMinch general Hospital.Methods: This study was observational study using data abstractedfrom medical records, patient interviews and laboratory work-upduring 6 months of follow up. The data were collected from 152naive to anti-retro viral drug patients. The univariable andmultivariable Cox proportional hazard regression analyses weredone to identify predictors.Result: The median survival time of viral load suppression amongadult patients living with HIV was 3 months with 95% CI (2.68,3.32). The Cox-proportional hazard analysis shows baseline CD4count of <200cells/mm 3 (AHR=0.683, CI:0.471, 0.990), baselineviral load of <10,000 copies/ml (AHR=4.135, CI:1.835, 9.317),having baseline Cotrimoxazole preventive therapy (AHR=1.997,CI:1.108, 3.600), having baseline Isoniazid preventive therapy(AHR=3.085, CI:1.721, 5.529) and good adherence level to ART(AHR=2.648 ,CI: 1.202, 5.834) significantly predict the time toviral load suppression.Conclusion: Early improvement and maintenance of CD4 countand viral load to normal level should be attained throughstreamlining and strengthening monitoring and counseling ofpatients on adherence to ART, Cotrimoxazole and Isoniazid drugs.