The more recent generation of anti-retroviral medication (ART) has completely changed the way that HIV infections are treated. Tenofovir with lamivudine (NRTI) and one NNRT, efavirenz, make up the first-line ART. One side effect that is cause for concern is the renal tubular dysfunction linked to tenofovir. The purpose of this study was to compare the incidence of nephrotoxicity from tenofovir-based regimens to those that were not TLE-based. 50 individuals between the ages of 18 and 60 years who were already on an ART regimen were enrolled in each arm of a non-randomized cross-sectional research. TLE and ZLN were the two most commonly prescribed regimens. Four patients [8% (P-value 0.059)] developed nephrotoxicity in the TLE regimen, as in contrast to none in the non-TLE regimen. Longer exposure to the TLE regimen was a risk factor for nephrotoxicity, as 3 patients were receiving tenofovir for more than 4 years, regardless of age, body weight, or CD4 count. Anaemia was observed in 48% of patients on TLE vs. 18% in the non-TLE regimen. A minimum of one of the four criteria was aberrant in 26% of patients on a tenofovir-based regimen. Nephrotoxicity can be avoided by using tenofovir alafenamide or switching to a different treatment when early indications of renal damage are apparent.
