Abstract:
Abstract
Introduction: anemia is the most common hematological abnormality among children who are
on anti -retroviral therapy. In Africa, regardless of the initiation of antiretroviral therapy the
incidence of anemia among children who are on Human immunodeficiency virus care is high. In
Ethiopia, as far as my search, there is no studies done on incidence and predictors of anemia among
children who are on anti -retroviral therapy.
Objective: This study was aimed to assess the incidence and predictors of anemia among children
who are on anti-retroviral therapy, attending antiretroviral therapy care at the University of Gondar
comprehensive specialized Hospital, North west Ethiopia, from 2007 to 2017.
Methods: A retrospective follow-up study was conducted among 405 children who are on
antiretroviral therapy with simple random sampling technique., the extracted data was entered to
EPi info version seven and exported into a statically package of social science version twenty
software. Mean survival time for children to be anemia free was estimated. Kaplan -Meir was
employed for analysis of probabilities of developing anemia.log rank test was used to compare
survival curves among different independent variables. Cox regression was used. P-value less than
or equal to 0.05 was considered statically significant.
Results: The total follow-up period was 935 child-years of observation with a median followup
times
of
1.75
years.
With
this
follow-up
98(25.1%)
of
child
developed
anemia
which
gives
the
overall incidence rate of anemia 10.5(95% confidence interval (8.6, 12.8)) per 100 child-year. The
independent predictors of anemia were being severe-immunosuppressed (adjusted hazard
ratio=2.9, (95% confidence interval (1.23-6.77)), under nutrition (adjusted hazard ratio =2.8, (95%
confidence interval (1.467-4.6)), taking zidovudine based ART regimen (adjusted hazard ratio =4,
(95% confidence interval (1.23-12.9)), and tuberculosis (adjusted hazard ratio =2.1(95%
confidence interval (1.4-3.3)).
Conclusion: Anemia incidence rate among children who are on Antiretroviral Therapy at
University Of Gondar comphrensive Specialized Hospital was high. Tuberculosis, zidovudine
based drugs, severe immunosuppression, and under nutrition were remained statically significant
predictors of anemia among children with Antiretroviral Therapy. Hence, it is better to give
nutritional screening and management along with HIV care.
Key Words: Anemia, Anti-Retroviral-Therapy, children, Ethiopia and incidence
