Objective: To determine the effects of lipid-based nutrient supplements (LNS) on the quality of life of people living with HIV (PLHIV) during the first 3 months of antiretroviral treatment (ART) and to investigate the effects of timing of supplementation by comparing with supplementation during the subsequent 3 months.
Methods: A randomised controlled trial was conducted in three ART clinics within public health facilities in Jimma, Ethiopia. Participants were PLHIV eligible to start ART with body mass index >17 kg/m(2) and given daily supplements of 200 g of LNS containing whey or soya either during the first 3 months or the subsequent months of ART. The outcome was measured in terms of total quality-of-life scores on the adapted version of the WHOQOL-HIV-BREF assessed at baseline, three and six months.
Results: Of the 282 participants, 186 (66.0%) were women. The mean age (SD) was 32.8 (±9.0) years, and the mean (SD) total quality-of-life score was 82.0 (±14.8) at baseline assessment. At 3 months, participants who received LNS showed better quality of life than those who only received ART without LNS (β = 6.2, 95% CI: 2.9: 9.6). At 6 months, there was no difference in total quality-of-life score between the early and delayed supplementation groups (β = 3.0, 95% CI: -0.4: 6.4). However, the early supplementation group showed higher scores on the social and spirituality domains than the delayed group.
Conclusions: LNS given during the first three months of ART improves the quality of life of PLHIV.
Keywords: HIV; VIH; antiretroviral treatment; calidad de vida; emplazamiento con ingresos bajos; food insecurity; inseguridad alimentaria; insécurité alimentaire; lipid-based nutrient supplement; low-income setting; quality of life; qualité vie; suplementos nutricionales de base lipídica; supplément nutritif à base de lipides; traitement antirétroviral; tratamiento antirretroviral; zone à faibles revenus.
© 2016 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.