COMPARATIVE STUDY OF THE EFFECTS OF ANTIRETROVIRAL THERAPY (ART) ON CD4 CELL COUNT IN JIMMA UNIVERSITY SPECIALIZED HOSPITAL, JIMMA TOWN, OROMIA REGION, ETHIOPIA

The treatment option for AIDS have drastically changed since 1987 when the first drug of HIV/AIDS Zidovudin (ZDV) was approv ed, mono therapy has been replaced by the most effective currently is HAART which includes three drugs from one or all th e three categories to decrease incidence of viral resistance. From about, 1,387,039 people living with HIV/AIDS in Ethiopia 167,271 peo ple were initiated on ART by October 2009. The aim of this study is to determine comparative effects of ART on CD4 + cell count in Jimma University Specialized Hospital and assess comparative effects of ZDV and d4T based combinations on CD4 + cell count, to assess comparative effects of EFV and NVP based combinations on CD4 + cell count. Cross - sectional retrospecti ve study was employed . Data (from June 2006 to October 1, 2013) was collected from patient records using data collection format to determine compara tive effects of ART regimen on CD4 + cell count in Jimma university specialized hos p ital . One hundred twenty three patients fulfilled the inclusion criteria and were studied. At six month the EFV based regimens CD 4 + cell count had increased with mean of 332 cells/mm 3