ABSTRACT
Background: Combination of three antiviral drugs are used to treat adult and adolescent HIV
infection. These antiretroviral drugs stop an enzyme (reverse transcriptase) that HIV uses to
replicate itself. By doing this, they stop the infection from spreading. Objectives: the study is
aimed at evaluating therapeutic drug monitoring on co-formulated 600-mg efavirenz, 300-mg
tenofovir disoproxil fumarate and 300-mg lamivudine among HIV-positive patients. Methods: A
Retrospective longitudinal study was carried out from October, 2014 to November, 2015 at
Madonna Catholic Referral Hospital, Umuahia, Abia State, Nigeria. All volunteer antiretroviral
therapy (ART)-naïve HIV-infected individual’s age above 18 years who were initiating ART were
enrolled consecutively and followed for six months. Socio-demographic data such as gender,
age, and occupational status, were recorded using a structured and pre tested questionnaire.
The samples were run using BD FACSCount analyzer (Becton Dickinson, USA). Results were
expressed as number of cells/μl. Reference range for CD4+ were taken as 600-1200cells/μl. CD4
T cells and CD8 T cell counts were enumerated using FACS (Fluorescent Antibody Cell Sorter,
Becton Dickinson). At baseline, 74 (49.0%) HIV-naïve cohorts had CD4 Count of <200 cells/μl,
67 (44.4%) had CD4 count of > 200 cells/μl and 10 (6.6%) had CD4 Count of >500 cells/μl. After
six months of their highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART), 78 (51.7%) of HIV/AIDS
patients on HAART had CD4 count of >500 cells/μl followed by 73 (48.3%) of HIV/AIDS patients
on HAART had CD4 count of > 200 cells/μl (t = -22.794; p = 0.000). Findings showed that the
cohorts on HAART responded positively with increased in their CD4 count after 6 months of their
antiretroviral drugs. The study also supports the evidence by World Health Organization
guideline that recommend a Fixed–Dose Combination ART containing (non)-nucleoside reverse
transcriptase inhibitors (TDF), Lamivudine (3TC), and efavirenz (EFV) as first-line HIV treatment.
KEYWORDS:CD4 Count, Naïve patients, HAART patients, First-line HIV treatment,
FACSCount analyzer
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