Clinical profile and viral load suppression among HIV positive adolescents attending a tertiary hospital in North Central Nigeria

Abstract

Background: The use of combination antiretroviral therapy (cART) helps in HIV viral load suppression and has improved survival of children into adolescence. The aim of the study was to look at the clinical profile and identify factors associated with HIV-viral load suppression among adolescents on long-term cART. Methods: Consenting adolescents aged 10–19 years attending the pediatric and adult antiretroviral therapy (ART) program of Jos University Teaching Hospital (JUTH) were enrolled into the study. A semi-structured interviewer administered questionnaire was used to collect the necessary information like the biodata, educational background, orphan and vulnerable children (OVC) status, and ART use. Self-reported adherence and viral load results were retrieved and data was analyzed using SPSS version 23. Results: A total of 143 were recruited into the study with 87(60.8%) females and 56(39.1%) males. Eighty-one (56.6%) had viral load suppression while 62 (43.4%) had unsuppressed viral load. Forty-three (55.1%) out of the 78 orphaned children had viral suppression and the single orphan type had a better viral load suppression compared to the double orphan type and this was statistically significant (P < 0.05). Adherence to medication, where adolescents lived, if felt like stopping medication or ever stopped medication were significantly associated with viral load suppression (P < 0.05). Conclusion: Virologic suppression was mainly related to adherence, being double orphan, and whom the child lives with. Therefore, additional interventions should be instituted to address adolescent-specific services to enhance virologic suppression among them.