Abstract:
This study aimed to assess the incidence and
risk factors of treatment failure among HIV/AIDS-infected
children who were on antiretroviral therapy (ART) in
Amhara National Regional State, Ethiopia.
Methods
A retrospective follo
w-up study was conducted
from January 2010 to March 2016. A total of 824 children
under the age of 15 who had started ART were included
in the study. Data were collected from children’s medical
charts and ART registration logbook using a standard
checklist. A Weibull regression model was used to identify
the risk factors of treatment failure. Adjusted HRs (AHRs)
with 95% CIs were used to declare statistical significance.
results The mean (±SD) age of the children was 6.4±3.6
years, with a median (IQR) follow-up of 30.5 (14.6–51.4)
months. Sixty-three children (7.7%, 95%
CI 5.8 to 9.5)
developed treatment failure, 17 (27.0%) of whom were
immunological and 46 (73.0%) were clinical failures.
The incidence rate of treatment failure was 22.1/10 000
person-months. The cumulative probability of failure was
0.4, with 28
562.5 person-month observations. Lack of
disclosure (AHR=4. 4, 95% CI 1.8 to 11.3), opportunistic
infections during initiation of ART (AHR=2.3, 95%
CI 1.3 to
4.1) and prolonged follo
w-up (AHR=0.06, 95%
CI 0.02 to
0.18) were the main predictors of trea
tment failure.
