Hypertension and associated factors among patients attending HIV clinic at Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital.

Objectives: This study determined the prevalence of hypertension and its associated factors among patients attending the HIV clinic at the Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital (KBTH).

Design: A hospital-based cross-sectional study was conducted at KBTH. The prevalence of hypertension was estimated among study participants, and socio-demographic, lifestyle, anthropometric, metabolic and HIV/ART-related factors associated with hypertension were determined by logistic regression modelling.

Tenofovir-associated renal toxicity in a cohort of HIV infected patients in Ghana.

Objective: Tenofovir disoproxil fumarate (TDF) is a nucleotide analogue recommended in international HIV treatment guidelines. Purpose of this study was to estimate the long term effects of TDF on renal profile in a cohort of HIV patients in Ghana. Three hundred (300) consecutive HIV-positive patients who initiated TDF-based antiretroviral treatment in 2008 at the Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital were sampled.

Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis for HIV Prevention: Safety Concerns.

Available evidence supports the efficacy of pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) in decreasing the incidence of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection among high-risk individuals, especially when used in combination with other behavioural preventive methods. Safety concerns about PrEP present challenges in the implementation and use of PrEP. The aim of this review is to discuss safety concerns observed in completed clinical trials on the use of PrEP.

Association Between the Occurrence of Adverse Drug Events and Modification of First-Line Highly Active Antiretroviral Therapy in Ghanaian HIV Patients.

Introduction: Patients initiated on highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) generally remain on medication indefinitely. A modification in the HAART regimen may become necessary because of possible acute or chronic toxicities, concomitant clinical conditions, development of virological failure or the advent of adverse drug events. The study documents adverse drug events of HIV-positive Ghanaian patients with HAART modifications.

Adverse events and adherence to HIV post-exposure prophylaxis: a cohort study at the Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital in Accra, Ghana.

Background: There is strong evidence that post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP) with antiretroviral drugs in the timely management of occupational exposures sustained by healthcare workers decreases the risk of HIV infection and PEP is now widely used. Antiretroviral drugs have well documented toxicities and produce adverse events in patients living with HIV/AIDS. In the era of "highly active antiretroviral therapy", non-adherence to treatment has been closely linked to the occurrence of adverse events in HIV patients and this ultimately influences treatment success but the influence of adverse events on adherence during PEP is less well studied.

Outcomes of a Postexposure Prophylaxis Program at the Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital in Ghana: A Retrospective Cohort Study.

The risk for occupational exposure to HIV is a serious public health problem that is well characterized in the developed world, but less so in the developing countries such as Ghana. This study was undertaken to examine the characteristics of occupational exposure to HIV and the utilization of a risk assessment system (RAS)-based postexposure prophylaxis (PEP) among health care workers (HCWs) and health care students (HCSs) in the Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital (KBTH). During the study period (January 2005-December 2010), a total of 260 and 35 exposures were reported by HCWs and HCSs, respectively.