Gender-dependent Side Effects of Two Highly Active Antiretroviral Therapy Regimens on HIV/AIDS Patients Attending Nsukka District Hospital, Nsukka, Enugu State, Nigeria

Background: This study evaluated the gender-dependent potency and side effects of Highly Active Antiretroviral Therapy regimens (i) Zidovndine/Lamuvidine/ Nevirapine (ii) Tenofovir/Emtricitabine/Effavirenz on HIV-positive/AIDs patients attending Nsukka district hospital Enugu, from January 2013 to December 2013. Method: A retrospective study of two hundred (200) patients of both sexes within the age bracket of 15 – 70 years attending Nsukka District hospital who were treated with HAART was conducted. Clinical and laboratory data were obtained through self developed validated data collection form.Results: Abdominal pains and diarrhea (3.3%) were the most reported clinical manifestations in regimen 1, followed by headache and chills (2.2%) while in regimen 2, headache, hotness and dizziness (2.4%) were the most reported clinical manifestations followed by pruritis. HAART 1 showed more adverse effects than HAART 2 on both sexes on most of the biochemical variables; glucose (34.57±95.97 - 4.89±0.3 mmol/l), cholesterol (17.33±39.87 - 3.63±0.62 mmol/l), serum glucotransaminase (SGOT) (36.78±27.76 - 32.83±17.10 iu/l), blood urea nitrogen (BUN), (18.66±13.33 - 15.14±6.01mg/dl) and amylase (126.29±186.21 - 104.43±31.38 µg/l).While both regimens showed improved immunological and hematological outcomes: CD4+; 282.03±219.57 - 380.89±241.21 cells/µl (HAART1), 312.09±242.60-404.15±253.17 cells/µl (HAART2), hemoglobin(Hb) 10.60±1.74 - 10.93±1.81 g/dl (HAART1), 10.46 ±2.00 - 11.46±1.85 g/dl (HAART2).Conclusion: The adverse effects on clinical manifestation were more noticeable in regimen 1 in the study population, with the female population being the greater affected. Comparison of the two regimens with respect to their adverse effects on clinical manifestation favors regimen 2.