Effectiveness of Anti-Retroviral Treatment and Nutrition among HIV infected Patients at Eldoret – Kenya

Abstract

HIV/AIDS is a tragedy of devastating proportions in Kenya. The lives of infected individuals, their families, communities and agencies they work for, and the society as a whole is all affected by HIV/AIDS pandemic. Use of antiretroviral therapy improves the lives of HIV/AIDS patients. Use of nutrition supplement is part of comprehensive care for HIV/AIDS patients. The objective of the study was to determine the effectiveness of antiretroviral treatment and nutrition, in HIV infected patients. The study design was prospective cohort study. The study was carried out in AMPATH centre in Eldoret. Seventy one patients were randomly recruited in the study proportionate to size of each stratum. The HIV patients were recruited from Moi Teaching and Referral Hospital (MTRH) AMPATH Module one clinic. Some HIV patients were on a combination of antiretroviral therapy and nutritional supplementation; others were on ARVs alone, while others were not on ARVs. Blood samples were obtained from patients at the clinic then taken to the AMPATH Reference laboratory where the CD4 count and TH1 cytokines (IL-2 and IFN-γ) were determined. The patients were given ARV therapy and nutritional supplementation then monitored for six months when the same measurements were repeated. The heights, weights and BMI for the patients were determined monthly. The patients were given appointments monthly or after a fortnight to collect ARVs and prescription for the food supplement. Questionnaires were used by the nutritionist to establish the socio-economic variables of HIVpatients, the diet history before giving food supplement. Wilcoxon signed ranks and paired T-tests were used to test median and mean differences between initial and measurements after six months respectively. A total of 64 (90.1%) subjects completed the study, of which 47 (73.4%)