Fixed-dose combinations of antiretroviral drugs are commonly used to treat HIV infection and therapeutic monitoring is not part of routine clinical practice. However, drug concentrations monitoring ...might have role in different clinical scenarios as well as for research purposes. This study aimed to develop and validate UHPLC-MS/MS procedures for measuring total and unbound concentrations of bictegravir, dolutegravir, darunavir and doravirine in human plasma.
Equilibrium dialysis preceded sample preparation (based on protein precipitation) for measuring unbound antiretroviral concentrations. Chromatographic separations were achieved on an Acquity®-UPLC® HSS™-T3 column (50 mm × 2.1 mm; 1.8 µm) using a non-linear water/acetonitrile gradient containing 0.1 % formic acid at a 0.5 mL/min flow rate. Antiretrovirals were detected by tandem mass spectrometry in positive electrospray ionisation and multiple reaction monitoring modes.
No significant interferences or carry-over were observed. Imprecisions, absolute relative biases, normalised matrix effects and recoveries were ≤15.0 %, ≤11.1 %, (94.7-104.1)% and (96.7-105.5)%, respectively. Non-linear measuring intervals were observed between (25-10,000) µg/L for total/plasma dialysate concentrations and linearity schemes (1.00-100) µg/L for buffer dialysate concentrations.
The UHPLC-MS/MS procedures developed could be used for research purposes and therapeutic drug monitoring of antiretrovirals in routine clinical practice.
Late HIV diagnosis (i.e CD4≤350 cells/µL) is associated with poorer outcomes. However, determinants of long-term mortality and factors influencing immune recovery within the first years after ...antiretroviral treatment (ART) initiation are poorly defined.
From PISCIS cohort, we included all HIV-positive adults, two-year survivors after initiating ART between 2005–2019. The primary outcome was all-cause mortality according to the two-year CD4 count. We used Poisson regression. The secondary outcome was incomplete immune recovery (i.e., two-year CD4<500 cells/µL). We used logistic regression and propensity score matching.
We included 2,719 participants (16593·1 person-years): 1441 (53%) late presenters (LP) and 1278 non-LP (1145 non-LP with two-year CD4 count >500 cells/µL, reference population). Overall, 113 patients (4·2%) died. Mortality was higher among LP with two-year CD4 count 200–500 cells/µL (aMRR 1·9595%CI:1·06-3·61) or <200 cells/µL (aMRR 4·592·25-9·37).
Conversely, no differences were observed in participants with two-year CD4 counts >500 cells/µL, regardless of being initially LP or non-LP (aMRR 1·050·50-2·21). Mortality rates within each two-year CD4 strata were not affected by the initial CD4 count at ART initiation (test-interaction, p = 0·48). The stronger factor influencing immune recovery was the CD4 count at ART initiation. First-line integrase-inhibitor-(INSTI)-based regimens were associated with reduced mortality compared to other regimens (aMRR 0·540·31-0·93) and reduced risk of incomplete immune recovery in LP (aOR 0·700·52-0·95).
Two-year immune recovery is a good early predictor of long-term mortality in LP after surviving the first high-risk 2 years. Nearly half experienced a favorable immune recovery with a life expectancy similar to non-LP. INSTI-based regimens were associated with higher rates of successful immune recovery and better survival compared to non-INSTI regimens.
Southern-Denmark University, Danish AIDS-foundation, and Region of Southern Denmark. JMM received a personal 80:20 research grant from Institut d'Investigacions Biomèdiques August Pi i Sunyer (IDIBAPS), Barcelona, Spain, during 2017–23.
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•UHPLC-MS/MS procedures for measurement of unbound and total bictegravir concentrations in different body fluids were developed.•Measurement procedures were validated using the EMA ...and CLSI validation guidelines.•Verification of the applicability of the procedures were performed using HIV-1 subject samples.•The measurement procedures can be useful for bictegravir pharmacokinetic/pharmacodynamic studies in plasma and cerebrospinal fluid.
Bictegravir is a novel integrase strand transfer inhibitor, administrated in co-formulation with tenofovir alafenamide and emtricitabine (Biktarvy®), indicated in the management of HIV-1 infection in patients not previously treated with antiretroviral therapy. Bictegravir is highly bound to plasma proteins, and this significantly determines its clearance, solubility, and activity. These characteristics are crucial determinants of bictegravir penetration into human body compartments, as the central nervous system. We developed and validated UHPLC-MS/MS procedures to measure total and unbound bictegravir concentrations in plasma and cerebrospinal fluid. Simple protein precipitation with acetonitrile was implemented to prepare plasma and cerebrospinal fluid samples. Sample preparation was preceded by ultrafiltration for measuring unbound bictegravir concentrations. Chromatographic separations were achieved on an Acquity® UHPLC® BEHTM (2.1 × 100 mm id, 1.7 μm) reverse-phase C18 column using an isocratic mobile phase 20:80 (v/v) water/acetonitrile with 0.1% formic. Bictegravir and its internal standard (bictegravir-15N d2) were detected by electrospray ionization mass spectrometry in positive and multiple reaction monitoring modes, using transitions of 450.2→289.2/145.4 and 453.2→289.2, respectively. Ultrafiltration procedures presented non-specific bindings of (8.6 ± 1.2) % for bictegravir in plasma and (26.6 ± 3.1) % for bictegravir in cerebrospinal fluid. Linearity was observed between (10.70–8560) μg/L, (1.07–856.0) μg/L for total and unbound bictegravir in plasma, and 0.107―26.75 μg/L for total and unbound bictegravir in cerebrospinal fluid. Imprecisions, absolute relative biases, normalized-matrix factors, and normalized-recoveries were ≤14.4%, ≤13.8%, (97.4–102.5) %, and (99.8–105.1) %, respectively. No significant interferences and carry-over were observed. The validated UHPLC-MS/MS procedures could be useful for pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic studies.
To determine maraviroc (MVC) concentrations in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) in HIV-infected patients.
Twelve CCR5+ HIV-1 adult antiretroviral-experienced patients receiving MVC-containing regimens for ...at least 1 month were enrolled. Both CSF and blood samples were taken around 12 hours after the last MVC dose. liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry was used to determine MVC concentrations, and HIV-1 viral load was determined by real-time polymerase chain reaction, (LOD, 40 copies/mL).
Twelve blood and 12 CSF samples were collected. Median CD4 count was 281(120-759) cells per microliter, and median HIV-1 viral load was <40 copies per milliliter. Median time on MVC was 13.5 weeks (4-60). Nucleoside analogues (tenofovir/didanosine) were given in only 1 case. Median MVC concentrations in plasma were 124.75 (7.3-517) ng/mL. In all except one, CSF sample-receiving an erroneous MVC dose while taking concomitantly nevirapine-MVC concentrations 2.58 (<0.5-7.22) ng/mL were within the EC(90) range (0.06-10.70). Median MVC CSF: plasma ratio was 0.022 (0.004-0.17), and when the free MVC plasma concentration was used, 0.094 (2.58-27.44). CSF viral load was <40 copies per milliliter in all 9 patients with undetectable plasma viral load.
MVC achieves concentrations within the EC(90) range in CSF. All patients with undetectable plasma viral load although receiving nucleoside-sparing regimens including new drugs showed viral suppression in CSF.
Monotherapy with boosted protease inhibitors has emerged as an antiretroviral therapy simplification alternative for selected patients, endorsed by the results of some randomized clinical trials. ...However, there are some concerns about the efficacy of such a strategy in achieving successful viral suppression in those anatomic compartments or reservoirs in which antiretroviral drug penetration is lower, such as the central nervous system (CNS). Several studies have demonstrated better neurocognitive performance in patients receiving antiretroviral drugs with better cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) penetration. Nevertheless, cases of CSF viral escape accompanied by moderate or severe neurological symptoms have been reported with both standard triple therapy and boosted protease inhibitor (PI) monotherapy, and it is not well established whether ritonavir-boosted protease inhibitor (PI/r) monotherapy is associated with a higher risk of symptomatic CSF viral escape or not. Herein, we present a case of viral rebound and resistance emergence exclusively in CSF associated with an unusual clinical manifestation of focal encephalitis in a patient with plasma HIV-1 RNA suppression while receiving lopinavir/ritonavir monotherapy. Clinical resolution and CSF viral suppression were observed after switching to a genotype-guided combined antiretroviral regimen with good CSF penetration.
Guidelines recommendation to extend treatment duration in genotype 1 hepatitis C virus (HCV)/HIV-coinfected patients who clear the virus later than treatment week 4 is not evidence-based. Our main ...objective was to study the ability of week 12 viral response early virologic response (EVR) to predict long-term outcome in patients treated for 48 weeks.
Multicenter retrospective cohort analysis.
Genotype 1 HCV treatment-naive, HIV-coinfected adult patients with compensated liver disease who started combination therapy with fixed-dose pegylated-interferon (pegIFN) alfa-2a or weight-based pegIFN alfa-2b plus ribavirin were included. Univariate and forward stepwise logistic regression analysis were used to identify predictors of sustained viral response (SVR) and relapse.
By intention-to-treat analysis, 31.3% (87/278) of patients achieved an SVR. SVR rate was more than three-fold higher in patients who cleared the virus by week 12 of treatment compared with late responders. Among 123 end-of-treatment responders, 36 (29.3%) relapsed. Relapse risk increased in patients with cirrhosis, in those with ribavirin dose reductions and in late responders: more than 65% of patients who cleared the virus between weeks 12 and 24 relapsed following 48 weeks of treatment compared with 10% of those attaining a complete EVR (<15 IU/ml) at treatment week 12 (risk ratio 6.4, 95% confidence interval 2.9-14.4).
Viral response at treatment week 12 is a strong predictor of long-term outcome. Genotype 1 HCV/HIV-coinfected patients who achieve a complete EVR (<15 IU/ml) are at low risk of viral relapse after completing the standard 48 weeks of therapy.
Since the administration of the first integrase strand transfer inhibitor (INSTI) in 2007, most international treatment guidelines consider INSTI-based regimens to be the preferred antiretroviral ...combinations for HIV-1-infected patients as a result of their safety and efficacy profile. INSTIs are generally well tolerated, and reported rates of discontinuation due to drug-related adverse events (AEs) have been very low to date. However, recent reports indicate that physicians should be aware of potential INSTI-related AEs to ensure good clinical practice.
The authors performed a critical review of the safety issues affecting INSTIs based on published evidence from original studies and new data from researchers.
Almost all antiretroviral drugs, including INSTIs, are associated with undesirable AEs. Dolutegravir in particular has been associated with more frequent AEs such as neuropsychiatric disorders, neural tube defect in newborns, and weight gain. Data with bictegravir in routine practice are still scarce. While this association and its clinical relevance are not clear, physicians should be alert to the appearance of the aforementioned AEs and others in the future. In the meantime, INSTIs continue to be the preferred option in guidelines on antiretroviral therapy.
Non-AIDS defining malignancies present a growing challenge for persons with HIV (PWH), yet tailored interventions for timely cancer diagnosis are lacking. The Spanish IMPAC-Neo protocol was designed ...to compare two comprehensive cancer screening strategies integrated into routine HIV care. This study reports baseline data on the prevalence and types of precancerous lesions and early-stage cancer among participants at enrolment. Acceptability of the procedure was additionally assessed.BACKGROUNDNon-AIDS defining malignancies present a growing challenge for persons with HIV (PWH), yet tailored interventions for timely cancer diagnosis are lacking. The Spanish IMPAC-Neo protocol was designed to compare two comprehensive cancer screening strategies integrated into routine HIV care. This study reports baseline data on the prevalence and types of precancerous lesions and early-stage cancer among participants at enrolment. Acceptability of the procedure was additionally assessed.Cross-sectional analysis of a comprehensive screening protocol to detect precancer and cancer. The readiness of healthcare providers to implement the protocol was evaluated using a validated 4-item survey.METHODSCross-sectional analysis of a comprehensive screening protocol to detect precancer and cancer. The readiness of healthcare providers to implement the protocol was evaluated using a validated 4-item survey.Among the 1430 enrolled PWH, 1172 underwent 3181 screening tests, with positive findings in 29.4% of cases, leading to further investigation in 20.7%. Adherence to the protocol was 84%, with HIV providers expressing high acceptability (97.1%), appropriateness (91.4%), and feasibility (77.1%). A total of 145 lesions were identified in 109 participants, including 60 precancerous lesions in 35 patients (3.0%), 9 early-stage cancers in 9 patients (0.8%), and 76 low-risk lesions in 65 subjects (5.5%). Adverse events related to screening occurred in 0.8% of participants, all mild. The overall prevalence of cancer precursors or early-stage cancer was 3.8% (95% CI, 2.74%-5.01%), with highest rates observed in individuals screened for anal and colorectal cancers.RESULTSAmong the 1430 enrolled PWH, 1172 underwent 3181 screening tests, with positive findings in 29.4% of cases, leading to further investigation in 20.7%. Adherence to the protocol was 84%, with HIV providers expressing high acceptability (97.1%), appropriateness (91.4%), and feasibility (77.1%). A total of 145 lesions were identified in 109 participants, including 60 precancerous lesions in 35 patients (3.0%), 9 early-stage cancers in 9 patients (0.8%), and 76 low-risk lesions in 65 subjects (5.5%). Adverse events related to screening occurred in 0.8% of participants, all mild. The overall prevalence of cancer precursors or early-stage cancer was 3.8% (95% CI, 2.74%-5.01%), with highest rates observed in individuals screened for anal and colorectal cancers.The baseline comprehensive cancer screening protocol of the IMPAC-Neo study successfully identified a significant proportion of PWH with precancerous lesions and early-stage cancer. High adherence rates and positive feedback from providers suggest effective implementation potential in real-world healthcare settings.CONCLUSIONSThe baseline comprehensive cancer screening protocol of the IMPAC-Neo study successfully identified a significant proportion of PWH with precancerous lesions and early-stage cancer. High adherence rates and positive feedback from providers suggest effective implementation potential in real-world healthcare settings.
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