Renal Insufficiency in Zambian Adults on Treatment with Tenofovir

The prevalence of renal insufficiency among adults with HIV/AIDS Zambia is estimated at 34.5% and likelihood of death is more common in these patients than those without renal insufficiency. Tenofovir has been in the first line of ARV regimen in Zambia since 2007; substituting stavudine and zidovudine. This was recommended and adopted even though many studies in industrialized countries have associated tenofovir to renal tubulopathy and nephrotoxicity. An analytical cross- sectional study designed to determine the likelihood of adults with HIV/AIDS to develop renal insufficiency after one year of treatment with tenofovir at Zambia's largest ART center. The research included 549 adults who where on treatment from 2007-2013; 274 on tenofovir while 275 on either stavudine or Zidovudine. Findings revealed that patients on tenofovir where 8.77 times more likely to develop renal insufficiency compared to those on either Stavudine or Zidovudine after controlling for age and gender.