Quality of life of HIV-infected patients who switch antiretroviral medication due to side effects or other reasons

• Published in: Current medical research and opinion 2016-12, Vol.32 (12), p.2039-2046
• Main Authors: Maiese, Eric M., Johnson, Phaedra T., Bancroft, Tim, Goolsby Hunter, Alyssa, Wu, Albert W.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Adult; Anti-HIV Agents - administration & dosage; Anti-HIV Agents - adverse effects; Anti-HIV Agents - therapeutic use; Antiretroviral therapy; Female; HIV; HIV Infections - drug therapy; HIV Infections - epidemiology; HIV Infections - psychology; Humans; Longitudinal Studies; Male; Middle Aged; QOL; Quality of Life; Side effects
• ISSN: 0300-7995; 1473-4877
• DOI: 10.1080/03007995.2016.1227776

Objective: The objective of this study was to investigate changes in health-related quality of life (HRQOL) among HIV patients following switch from a first- to second-line antiretroviral therapy (ART) regimen. Research design and methods: This was an observational study of adult HIV patients in the US at 35 academic and community health centers. Patients were required to be switching an antiretroviral regimen for the first time at the enrollment visit. Patients were assigned to a study cohort based on whether the switch was due to treatment-related side effects or for any other reason as reported by their physician. Patients completed the Medical Outcomes Study-Human Immunodeficiency Virus (MOS-HIV) health survey, the Depression, Anxiety, and Stress Scale Short Form (DASS-21), and the Human Immunodeficiency Virus Treatment Satisfaction Questionnaire-status (HIVTSQs) at the enrollment visit (baseline) and a follow-up survey was completed approximately 4 weeks later. The within cohort change in survey measures from baseline to follow-up was assessed by two-sample paired t-test. Results: Patients who switched their ART regimen due to treatment-related side effects (n = 50) had statistically significant improvements (p