Evaluation of Adherence, Virology and Imunology Response in HIV Patients Treated with a Once Daily Fixed Dose Combination (FDC) and a Free Combination of Antiretroviral

A once daily FDC is a treatment strategy to reduce both the pill burden and the dosing frequency. This study to evaluate the adherence, virology and immunology response in patients treated with a once daily FDC (single pill) and free combination of antiretroviral (more than one pill). A cross sectional study on adults HIV–infected (aged >18 years old) in Sulianti Saroso Hospital, ARV–naïve patients for 12 months of treatment, receiving the first line ARV bases on Tenovofir and Efavirenz in the form of once daily FDC and a free combination of ARV. Ninety eight patients (a once daily FDC group consist of 78 patients and a free combination group consist of 20 patients) were recruited during the period of July to October 2017. The proportion of patients with good adherence (≥95%) after 12 months of once daily FDC treatment group was 98,7%, and a free combination group was 100%. The proportion of patients with an undetectable viral load to a once daily FDC treatment group was 80%, and a free combination group was 85,5%. The viral load and adherence were not significantly different statistically in two groups (Fisher Exact, p value >0,05) at 12 months of treatment and there was no significant difference in the increase in CD4 cell count at 6 months between those 2 groups at 6 months of treatment (Chi-Square p = 0,723). A once daily FDC treatment strategy and a free combination of ARV have the same benefits toward adherence, immunology response at 6 months therapy and virology response in HIV patients during 12 months of therapy. Confirmatory studies with similar proportion of patients between the two groups are needed to clarify the benefits of adherence, immunology and virology response.