Impact of 1 Year of Large-Scale Antiretroviral Drug Treatment on the Anthropometric Profiles and Treatment Outcomes of HIV-Adult Patients in the Rural District Hospital of Eastern Nigeria

Abstract

The study aimed at assessing the evolution of body mass index of (BMI) and treatment outcome of Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) adult-patients who were on antiretroviral therapy (ART) over a period of one year in a community district hospital with high prevalence of HIV attendance. One year retrospective follow-up study of the recruited patients was carried out using data collected from their treatment cards. One hundred and fifty-one patients were recruited for the study but eleven patients dropped as a result of clinical emergencies and breach of study protocol. Ninety-two (66%) were females and the rest adult males. Study patients were on four different World Health Organization (WHO) clinical stages at various numerical strengths. There were significant (p>0.05) synchronized linear increment of BMI and positive treatment outcomes following treatment with antiretroviral therapy (ART).