Assessment of Non-HIV Comorbidities Among HIV-Infected Patients on Anti-Retroviral therapy (ART) in a Teaching Hospital Kohat, Pakistan

Abstract

Objective: To assess the non-HIV-related comorbidities in HIV-Infected patients surviving on anti-retroviral therapy (ART) at the HIV care center, DHQ Teaching Hospital, Kohat, Pakistan.

Methodology:  This cross-sectional study was conducted for the period of 6 months at DHQ Teaching Hospital, Kohat Development Authority, Kohat from June to December 2020. Data were obtained from 446 patients on Antiretroviral therapy for at least 6 months by physicians and HIV specialist nurses., the data analysis was done using SPSS, and descriptive statistics were applied to analyze the frequencies, percentages, and comparisons.

Results: Analysis of the data from 446 patients showed that relative predominance of HIV infection in males (63.5 %), uneducated (59.42%), and middle-aged (31-60 years) (62.4%) and married (53.13%) people, with 1/3rd of the studied population being under-weight.  Our study found that 54.7% of patients have non-HIV related comorbidity with (29.6%) of the patients having a single comorbidity while 25.1% had multiple co-morbidities. Among the non-communicable disease's prevalence of diabetes mellitus (26.5%). hypertension 21.3%, and ischemic heart disease 13.2% were higher compared to obesity, chronic liver disease, chronic kidney disease, stroke & non-HIV related cancers. These co-morbid conditions had no significant relation with gender but were more common in higher age groups.

Conclusion: Our study showed high rates of co morbidities in patients of HIV disease the challenge will need multidisciplinary care rather than patients just being treated with ARV therapy. Appropriate healthcare delivery models with a multidisciplinary approach will help in combating HIV and non-HIV-related comorbidities.