Journal of Antivirals & Antiretrovirals
Open Access
ISSN: 1948-5964
ISSN: 1948-5964
Department of Pharmacy, Mbarara University of Science and Technology, Mbarara, Uganda
Research
Suboptimal Antiretroviral Drug Levels and Virologic Failures among PLHIV at A Rural Referral Hospital in South Western Uganda: A Descriptive Cross-Sectional Study
Author(s): Silvano S Twinomujuni*, Patrick E Ogwang, Felicitas Roelofsen, Jackson K Mukonzo and Esther Atukunda
Background: Achieving favorable HIV treatment outcomes is a major challenge, particularly due to non-adherence and consequent sub-therapeutic plasma antiretroviral drug levels. This is often complicated by the development of resistant strains due to mutations. Monitoring antiretroviral drug levels in the blood of patients enrolled on ART can reveal if levels are too high, enough, or too low. High levels may lead to dose-dependent side effects and sub-therapeutic levels could promote treatment failure and resistance. In Uganda, as part of routine HIV care, plasma antiretroviral drug level is estimated indirectly by clinic-based pill counts and patient self-reported adherence, which give no evidence of ingested medication. This study aimed at exploring steady-state nevirapine and efavirenz drug levels in HIV patients accessing ART at a rural referral hospital in South W.. View More»