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Background: A medication tolerance tool was used to explore patient perceptions of how side effects of antiretroviral (ARV) medications make them more or less tolerable to take by examining the potential impact of side effects and perceived QOL. Tolerability related issues are important to identify, as reduced tolerability to ARV medications may result in non-adherence leading to development of resistance and subsequent treatment failure for patients with HIV/AIDS Methods: This is a prospective, multi-center, longitudinal study designed to assess the relationship (correlation) between side effects and their impact on perceived QOL. The instrument also allows results to be stratified into different sub populations based on characteristics such as gender, class of ARV medication used, time since HIV diagnosis, baseline viral load and CD4. The patient self-assessment questionnaire is administered at baseline and at weeks 2, 4, and 8 weeks after starting or switching ARV therapies. Results: A total of sixty-four patients have been evaluated through June, 2002 (67.2% male, 32.8% female; 39.7% ARV-naïve, 60.3% ARV-experienced). Results demonstrate a statistically significant correlation between intensity of symptoms and degree of impact on QOL. Of the 14 symptoms identified in the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) guidelines, 8 have a correlation of 0.70 or higher for intensity of symptoms and impact of ADL, at week 2. Four symptoms continue to be highly correlated with ADL at week 4 and week 8. Conclusions: Results suggest that side effects from ARV medications have an impact on perceived QOL that may cause patients to be less than compliant with their medication regimen. Further, results demonstrate that some symptoms may be more tolerable than others with regard to impact on perceived QOL.
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Back to 14th International Nursing Research Congress
Sigma Theta Tau International
10-12 July 2003