Predictors of weight loss after HAART initiation among HIV-infected adults in Tanzania.

OBJECTIVE

To explore the predictors of weight loss after highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) initiation in a large cohort of HIV-infected adults living in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania.

DESIGN

Cross-sectional and longitudinal analysis of a cohort of HIV-infected adults on HAART.

METHODS

HIV-infected adults (n = 18 965) were enrolled between November 2004 to December 2009 in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. Log-binomial regression and Cox proportional hazard regression were used to explore the predictors of short-term (3 months) and long-term significant weight loss (≥ 5%) after HAART initiation.

RESULTS

At 3 months after HAART initiation, 8% patients lost greater than or equal to 5% weight. Underweight patients at initiation gained more weight than other body mass index (BMI) groups. Younger or older than age group 30-39, lower socioeconomic status (SES), higher BMI, lower hemoglobin, difficulty breathing, loss of appetite, nausea/vomiting at baseline were associated with the risk of significant weight loss at 3 months after initiation. During a median follow-up period of 10 months [interquartile range (IQR) 4-20 months], 31% patients had experienced an initial significant weight loss after HAART initiation. In addition to time-varying CD4 cell count and hemoglobin level, age, sex, baseline BMI and having loss of appetite, and nausea/vomiting at baseline were associated with the risk of long-term significant weight loss.

CONCLUSION

Our study suggested that a significant percentage of patients continue to lose weight after HAART initiation. Our findings on the effect of socio-demographics, symptoms and diseases, biomedical indicators in relation to weight loss provide important information that has significant practical implications.