American Association of Critical-Care Nurses (AACN) Certification Practice Test

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How long after initiating HAART can IRIS symptoms appear?

Immediately
Weeks to months
Days to weeks
Several months to a year

The correct answer is: Days to weeks

The correct timeframe for the onset of Immune Reconstitution Inflammatory Syndrome (IRIS) symptoms after initiating Highly Active Antiretroviral Therapy (HAART) is typically within days to weeks. IRIS occurs when the immune system begins to recover following the initiation of antiretroviral therapy, leading to an inflammatory response to previously unrecognized opportunistic infections or other conditions. This phenomenon is particularly observed in patients with severely suppressed immune systems, such as those with advanced HIV/AIDS, where the immune cells respond vigorously once treatment has started. Understanding the timeline is crucial for clinicians managing newly treated HIV patients. If symptoms appear immediately, this could suggest another underlying issue rather than IRIS. Symptoms occurring several months after treatment initiation or even up to a year are also not indicative of typical IRIS, as that significantly extends the usual onset period observed clinically. Hence, the days to weeks window accurately represents the expected onset of symptoms related to IRIS following commencement of HAART.