Background and objective: With the advent of Anti retroviral Therapy (ART), HIV is now regarded as a chronic manageable disease. But adherence of more than 95% is essential for around 80% efficacy. Also the various side effect of the ART need to be addressed in order to increase its response. This study was done with objective to determine the response of treatment offered to patients in a programmatic setting. Methods: A retrospective study was done in Anti Retroviral Treatment (ART) Centre, S.S. Hospital, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi in which all patient between 18 to 55 years of age registered between March 2006 to March 2007 were taken and response to therapy, adverse effects and adherence were seen at 12 months of therapy by going through records. Patients were divided into two groups based on drugs. Group I had patients on Zidovudine based regimen and Group II consisted of patients on Stavudine based regimen. Patient already on antiretroviral drugs at the time of enrollment to ART center and pregnant females were excluded in the study. Results: Out of 946 patients, 210(22.3%) of patients were lost to follow-up and 54(5.7%) patients expired. The mean CD4 count significantly improved with level of 98.48 + 60.55 /µl at the start of therapy and 379.62+185.37/µl at 12 months (p<0.005). Among the adverse side effect, the most common was zidovudine induced anemia (23.4%). Overall adherence of >95% in 76.5% patients.

Conclusion: ART is effective in a programmatic setting provided adherence is adequate. Also, monitoring for side effects of ART should be done which is one of the limiting factors of decrease adherence.