Assessment of the Prevalence of Zidovudine Induced Anemia among Adult HIV/AIDS Patients on HAART in an Ethiopian Hospital

Background: Zidovudine is one of a nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitor in the first line ART regimen in Ethiopia. It is, however, known to be associated with life threatening toxicity like anemia. Unfortunately, zidovudine related anemia at Mizan-Aman General Hospital has not yet been known before. Therefore, the aim of this study is to determine the prevalence of zidovudine induced anemia among adult HIV/AIDS patients on highly active antiretroviral therapy. Methods: Retrospective cross-sectional study design was conducted in ART pharmacy in Mizan-Aman General Hospital by observing patient charts. Simple random sampling technique was used to select the charts. Data was collected by randomly extracting documented information in the patients’ medical chart who initiated AZT containing ART regimen. Result: Around on third of the participants (27.9%) were in the age range of 32 – 38 years. Of the assessed patient charts, charts with female patients constitute 51.9%. More than two-third of participants (73.7%) were urban residents while about forty percent of the total patients included in the study (39.1%) were secondary school achievers but 11.9% of participants were illiterate. About one fifth of the patients (22.6%) developed anemia. The occurrence of zidovudine induced anemia was higher among illiterates (29.4%). The number of participants who developed AZT induced anemia while using social drugs was relatively lower 14.1%. Majority of patients who developed anemia had a baseline hemoglobin level of ≤ 12 g/dl (75.3%). Conclusion: The prevalence of AZT induced anemia was found to be highest on patients whose baseline Hgb level ≤ 12 g/dl. Frequent monitoring of Hgb concentration in patients on AZT based regimen will be an essential strategy to overcome anemia itself and anemia related costs like blood transfusion.