Symptom Management of HIV-Related Diarrhea by Using Normal Foods: A Randomized Controlled Clinical Trial

• Published in: The Journal of the Association of Nurses in AIDS Care Vol. 17; no. 2; pp. 47 - 57
• Main Authors: Anastasi, Joyce K., Capili, Bernadette, Kim, Gee, McMahon, Don, Heitkemper, Margaret M.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States Elsevier Inc 01.03.2006; Lippincott Williams & Wilkins Ovid Technologies
• Subjects: Adult; AIDS/HIV; clinical trial; Clinical trials; Diarrhea; Diarrhea - diet therapy; Diarrhea - nursing; Diarrhea - virology; Diet Records; Feeding Behavior; Female; HIV; HIV Infections - complications; HIV Infections - nursing; Human immunodeficiency virus; Humans; Male; Medical treatment; Nursing; Nutrition; Nutrition Assessment; nutrition intervention; Nutrition therapy; Patient Compliance; symptom management; clinical trial; symptom management; HIV; diarrhea; nutrition intervention
• ISSN: 1055-3290; 1552-6917
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jana.2006.01.005

The purpose of this randomized clinical trial was to determine the efficacy of a dietary intervention to reduce the frequency of bowel movements and improve stool consistency as compared with subjects assigned to a control group. The study enrolled HIV patients with a history of three or more episodes of diarrhea for 3 weeks or more. Seventy-five subjects were enrolled, of which 38 were randomized to the treatment group and 37 to the control group. Six study sessions were scheduled over a 24-week period. At 24 weeks, the stool frequency reduced 28% in the treatment group and 15% in the control group ( F = 9.22, p < .001) and stool consistency improved 20% in the treatment group and 8% in the control group ( F = 9.98, p < .001). The results showed that the intervention was effective in reducing stool frequency and improving stool consistency in HIV patients with chronic diarrhea for up to 6 months of treatment.