Virological Suppression and Its Associated Factors of Dolutegravir Based Regimen in a Resource-Limited Setting: An Observational Retrospective Study in Ethiopia

BACKGROUND: Toxicity, treatment failure, and resistance to existing HIV treatment regimens have become a challenge in resource-limited settings. As a result, a dolutegravir based regimen has recently been utilized. However, there is a paucity of evidence in sub-Saharan countries regarding its virological suppression. Thus, this study aimed to assess virological suppression and associated factors of dolutegravir based regimen. METHODS: A retrospective follow-up study was conducted on 349 individuals. They were selected using a systematic random sampling technique among all treatment-experienced adult HIV patients who were on a dolutegravir based regimen. From this, 81.4% of them were virologically suppressed before the initiation of dolutegravir based regimen. The study was carried out at twelve months of therapy after shifting to dolutegravir based regimen (TDF-3TC-DTG) during the period May 2018–August 2020 at Debre Markos referral hospital. Retrospective data before and after dolutegravir based regimen initiation were collected from their medical records. The time on dolutegravir based regimen was one year. Bivariable and multivariable logistic regression was used to identify factors. Variables with p <0.05 were considered statistically significant. RESULTS: From a total of 359, 349 participated (97.2%) in the study, and the mean age of the participants was 40.28 ±11.6 years. Totally, 192 (55.0%) of them were female. The proportion of virological suppression was 92%. Good adherence (participants who reported an intake of ≥95% of the prescribed medication) (AOR=6.2, 95% CI: 1.93, 20.11) and overall duration of ART (AOR=1.02, 95% CI: 1.01, 1.04) were associated with virological suppression. CONCLUSION: Dolutegravir based regimen maintains high virological suppression. Adherence and duration of ART were associated with virological suppression. Therefore, designing effective mechanisms to maintain virological suppression is important.