Predictors of loss of virologic response in subjects who simplified to lopinavir/ritonavir monotherapy from lopinavir/ritonavir plus zidovudine/lamivudine

AIDS Res Hum Retroviruses. 2009 Mar;25(3):269-75. doi: 10.1089/aid.2008.0217.

Abstract

Previous studies have demonstrated that lopinavir/ritonavir monotherapy maintained plasma HIV-1 RNA suppression in a large proportion of antiretroviral naive subjects. However, more subjects receiving lopinavir/ritonavir monotherapy experienced confirmed virologic rebound >50 copies/ml compared to a standard three-drug HAART regimen. In this study, we sought to determine the factors associated with maintenance of virologic suppression in subjects receiving lopinavir/ritonavir monotherapy. Antiretroviral-naive HIV-1-infected volunteers were randomized 2:1 to initiate a lopinavir/ritonavir-based combination regimen followed by simplification to lopinavir/ritonavir monotherapy or an efavirenz-based triple combination therapy and followed for 96 weeks. Potential predictors of time to loss of virologic response included baseline demographics, baseline HIV-1 RNA levels, baseline CD4(+) T cell counts, adherence as determined by 4-day subject recall, duration of HIV-1 RNA <50 copies/ml prior to simplification, and lopinavir concentrations. By the Cox proportional hazards model, higher reported adherence levels and higher baseline CD4(+) T cell counts were associated with a greater likelihood of maintaining virologic suppression while receiving lopinavir/ritonavir monotherapy. Lopinavir concentrations, including trough concentrations, were not significantly associated with virologic outcomes. This analysis suggests that adherence and higher baseline CD4(+) T cell counts may help to predict who will sustain virologic suppression with lopinavir/ritonavir monotherapy. The data also suggest that measuring lopinavir concentrations is not useful in predicting virologic response in these patients.

Publication types

  • Comparative Study
  • Randomized Controlled Trial

MeSH terms

  • Anti-HIV Agents / therapeutic use*
  • Antiretroviral Therapy, Highly Active / methods*
  • CD4 Lymphocyte Count
  • HIV Infections / drug therapy*
  • HIV Infections / immunology
  • HIV Infections / virology
  • HIV-1 / drug effects
  • Humans
  • Lamivudine / therapeutic use
  • Lopinavir
  • Medication Adherence / statistics & numerical data
  • Plasma / chemistry
  • Pyrimidinones / blood
  • Pyrimidinones / therapeutic use
  • Ritonavir / therapeutic use
  • Time Factors
  • Treatment Outcome
  • Viral Load*
  • Zidovudine / therapeutic use

Substances

  • Anti-HIV Agents
  • Pyrimidinones
  • Lopinavir
  • Lamivudine
  • Zidovudine
  • Ritonavir