Purpose: To our knowledge, there is no report regarding antiretroviral induced adverse drug reactions (ADRs) in Iranian patients who infected with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). We have evaluated the frequency of antiretroviral therapy (ART) induced ADRs in this population and assessed some risk factors of these reactions.
Methods: This is a prospective cohort study that was performed in Iranian Human Immunodeficiency Virus/Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome Research Center during years 2005-2007. Adult patients who infected with HIV and newly started on ART were included in this study and followed laboratory and clinically for the development of any ADRs for at least 6 months.
Results: During this study 87.6% of patients showed at least one ADR. Prevalence of ADRs based on affected organ was: gastrointestinal (GI) (63.7%), hematological (32.6%), neurological (30%), cutaneous (22%), musculoskeletal (21.3%), hepatic (20%), metabolic (18.6%), and renal (2.6%) adverse effects.
Conclusions: The most important results of this study were finding of hematological ADRs as the most common cause of ART interruption, supporting the hypersensitivity nature of antiretroviral induced hepatotoxicity especially cholestasis and new finding of the significant positive correlation between hepatitis C virus co-infection and the occurrence of ART induced skin reactions.