Side effects experienced by AIDS patient due to highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) and its effect to patient's Quality of Life (QOL) in Sungai Buloh Hospital / Siti Qurasyiah Abdul Hamid

Background: HAART regimens often associated with high toxicity that leads to high incidence of side effects experienced by the patients taking the HAART therapy. These side effects usually affect the patient quality of life. Objective: This study focuses on the side effects experienced by the AIDS patients taking either one of four types of first line HAART regimens and the impacts of the side effects on patients' quality of life. Methods: 50 patients that were taking first line HAART regimens for at least for 1 year were interviewed based on the questionnaire developed. Results: 56% of the study participants experienced itchy red spot. Higher prevalence of side effects of in Malay and Chinese compared to Indian, and males compared to female. Most of the patients scored at the higher ends of each quality of life dimension. However, Indian compared to Malay and Chinese, and females compared to males have lower rank in some QOL dimensions. Besides, lower scores in some quality oflife dimensions are associated with sudden difficulties in breathing, extreme fatigue, fracture and hyper pigmentation. The risk factors of experiencing side effects are Malay and Chinese race, and males. Few side effects are associated with lower QOL dimensions. Conclusion: Further studies should be conducted to employ larger study participant and to assess patient condition before starting the HAART regimen, to find higher association of the drugs and the side effects, impacts of side effects and quality ofli fe scores.