Causes and Consequences of Persistent Anemia after 6 Months of Antiretroviral Therapy in Tanzania: An Observational Comparative Cohort Study.

Abstract

Anemia is common among people living with HIV (PLWH), particularly in Africa. Outcomes for PLWH on modern antiretroviral therapy (ART) regimens are not well documented. We conducted an observational study to determine the outcomes and predictors of anemia after ART initiation in Tanzania. We enrolled and followed ART-naïve PLWH and HIV-uninfected individuals at three clinics in Tanzania. We grouped participants into four longitudinal categories based on hemoglobin concentration measured at baseline and 6 months after ART initiation (normal, resolved anemia, incident anemia, and persistent anemia) and followed them for 24 months. There were 991 study participants (494 PLWH, 497 HIV uninfected). After 6 months of ART, 33.9% of PLWH had persistent anemia and 9.9% had incident anemia compared with 12.6% and 9.6% for HIV-uninfected controls. Female sex (adjusted odds ratio [aOR]: 2.62; 95% CI: 1.91-6.75) and low income (aOR: 3.10; 95% CI: 1.36-7.20) were strong predictors of persistent anemia for both PLWH and HIV-uninfected individuals. For PLWH, having a CD4+ T cell count of less than 350 cells/mm3 (aOR: 0.34; 95% Cl: 0.15-0.73) was significantly associated with anemia resolution. Mortality was higher for PLWH who had persistent anemia or incident anemia than for PLWH who had normal hemoglobin or improved anemia (hazard ratio: 4.0, 95% Cl 1.3-12.2). One-third of adults in Tanzania had persistent anemia after 6 months on ART, and persistent anemia was associated with increased mortality. PLWH with persistent or incident anemia after 6 months on modern ART deserve close follow-up, particularly women and low-income adults.