2025/09/05 by Seteamlak Adane Masresha1*, Atitegeb Abera Kidie1
#Adult #Antiretroviral #Ethiopia #Secondline #Treatment #Undernutrition
paper · doi:10.20372/nadre:17283
Abstract<br> Background Despite advancements in Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) treatment and care, undernutrition<br> remains a significant concern, accelerating disease progression and risk of Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome<br> (AIDS)-related deaths. The nutritional status of second-line antiretroviral treatment (SLART) users in Ethiopia has not<br> been thoroughly investigated. So, this study aimed to assess the nutritional status of HIV/AIDS patients who were on<br> SLART and its associated factors in Northern Ethiopia.<br> Methods A retrospective cross-sectional study was conducted on 366 HIV-infected adults who had been on SLART<br> for at least six months in northern Ethiopia. Clients who had documented Weight and height at six months of therapy<br> were included. Data was entered and cleaned by using EpiDATA version 4.6.0.2 and statistical analysis was done by<br> STATA version 17. Multiple imputation method was applied to manage variables having up to 25% missing values by<br> using R-Version 3.6.2 software. Binary logistic regression was used with P < 0.05 as a significant predictor in the final<br> analysis. Data was collected from February 01 to April 30, 2021.<br> Results The magnitude of undernutrition among adults who were on SLART in the study area was 38.52% (95%CI:<br> 33.65–43.64). Those populations also had a baseline undernutrition status of 39.1% (95%CI: 34.11–44.15) during their<br> transition to SLART. The risk of being malnourished at six months of SLART initiation was fifteen times higher among<br> those who were undernourished at SLART start (AOR:15.099, 95%CI: 8.532, 26.720) reflecting the high burden of the<br> problem in the advanced courses of HIV/AIDS treatment and care.<br> Conclusions The proportion of undernutrition among SLART users in Northern Ethiopia is high. During HIV therapy,<br> a client’s overall nutritional health is predicted by their prior undernutrition condition. This highlights the need for<br> comprehensive nutritional assessment, counseling, and monitoring of the nutritional status of SLART users in the<br> area with emphasis on an early identification of possible barriers to the improvement of such conditions. Promoting<br> the consumption of nutrient-dense local foods and appropriate food preparation methods in addition to nutritional<br> support are vital in this setting.<br>