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Low body weight and type of protease inhibitor predict discontinuation and treatment-limiting adverse drug reactions among HIV-infected patients starting a protease inhibitor regimen: consistent results from a randomized trial and an observational cohort.

OBJECTIVES: To assess predictors for discontinuation and treatment-limiting adverse drug reactions (TLADR) among patients starting their first protease inhibitor (PI). METHODS: Data on patients starting a PI regimen (indinavir, ritonavir, ritonavir/saquinavir and saquinavir hard gel) in a randomized trial (RAS, n = 318) and an observational cohort (OBC, n = 505) were used to document reasons for discontinuation and TLADR. Risk factors for discontinuation of the initial PI/developing TLADR were assessed in Cox models. RESULTS: A total of 43 (RAS) and 48% (OBC) discontinued the initial PI therapy within less than 2 years. In both populations TLADR were the most common reason for discontinuation. The incidence of TLADR in RAS was: 8.5 (indinavir), 66.0 (ritonavir), 15.6 (saquinavir hard gel) per 100 person-years of follow-up (P < 0.001). Body weight and type of PI initiated were independent risk factors for treatment discontinuation and TLADR in both groups. In OBC, the risk of developing TLADR increased by 12% per 5 kg lower body weight when starting the PI regimen [the relative hazard (RH) was 1.12 (95% confidence interval: 1.05-1.19) per 5 kg lighter], and starting ritonavir was associated with a three- to sixfold higher risk of TLADR relative to other PI regimens. Very similar results were documented in RAS [RH for body weight was 1.18 (1.07-1.29)]. CONCLUSIONS: Nearly half of the patients stopped treatment with the initial PI, most commonly as a result of adverse drug reactions. Low body weight and initiation of ritonavir relative to other PIs were associated with an increased risk of TLADRs. Very consistent results were found in a randomized trial and an observational cohort.

Adult↗

Saquinavir induces stable and functional expression of the multidrug transporter P-glycoprotein in human CD4 T-lymphoblastoid CEMrev cells.

BACKGROUND: The multidrug transporter P-glycoprotein (P-gp) is expressed in HIV-1 target cells, in a range of pharmacological barriers and in AIDS-associated tumours. P-gp substrates include HIV-1 protease inhibitors (PIs) and anticancer drugs, which are efficiently effluxed from multidrug-resistant (MDR) cells. OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to investigate the effect on human CD4 T-lymphoblastoid CEMrev cells of saquinavir and other PIs in terms of P-gp expression and to characterize the functional and biochemical patterns of PI-induced P-gp molecules. METHODS: CEMrev cells no longer expressing detectable amounts of P-gp were cultured for a prolonged period in the presence of 10 microg/mL saquinavir (CEMsaq10) and tested for P-gp expression and function. Subsequently, CEMsaq10 cells were transferred into medium containing 15 microg/mL saquinavir (CEMsaq15) and cultured for several months. These cell lines were continuously monitored for P-gp expression, function and immunochemical patterns. A similar strategy was adopted to determine whether other PIs, such as ritonavir and indinavir, were able to induce P-gp expression in CEMrev cells. RESULTS: Compared with the drug-diluent control, the exposure of CEMrev cells to 10 microg/mL saquinavir induced, in a consistent fraction of cells (45-50%), de novo expression of functioning P-gp molecules. The transfer of CEMsaq10 cells to 15 microg/mL saquinavir was associated with a dramatic increase in P-gp expression and function (85-90% of CEMsaq15 cells expressed P-gp and effluxed P-gp dye substrates). These saquinavir-induced P-gp molecules included 75-kDa molecules as well as the classical 170-kDa form of P-gp, suggesting induction of a particular isoform of P-gp termed mini-P-glycoprotein. Conversely, ritonavir and indinavir induced transient P-gp expression in a small percentage of the CEMrev cells. CONCLUSIONS: Treatment of human CD4 T-lymphoblastoid CEMrev cells with saquinavir caused over-expression of functioning P-gp molecules. This de novo acquired MDR phenotype, which differed from that induced by other PIs, was stable, as expression and activity of P-gp were observed in CEMsaq10 and CEMsaq15 cells during prolonged in vitro culturing, even in drug-free conditions.

ATP Binding Cassette Transporter, Subfamily B, Mem↗

Select HIV protease inhibitors alter bone and fat metabolism ex vivo.

Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) therapies have been associated with alterations in fat metabolism and bone mineral density. This study examined the effects of HIV protease inhibitors (PIs) on bone resorption, bone formation, and adipocyte differentiation using ex vivo cultured osteoclasts, osteoblasts, and adipocytes, respectively. Osteoclast activity, measured using a rat neonatal calvaria assay, increased in the presence of nelfinavir (NFV; 47.2%, p = 0.001), indinavir (34.6%, p = 0.001), saquinavir (24.3%, p = 0.001), or ritonavir (18%, p < 0.01). In contrast, lopinavir (LPV) and amprenavir did not increase osteoclast activity. In human mesenchymal stem cells (hMSCs), the PIs LPV and NFV decreased osteoblast alkaline phosphatase enzyme activity and gene expression significantly (p < 0.05). LPV and NFV diminished calcium deposition and osteoprotegrin expression (p < 0.05), whereas the other PIs investigated did not. Adipogenesis of hMSCs was strongly inhibited by saquinavir and NFV (>50%, p < 0.001) and moderately inhibited by ritonavir and LPV (>40%, p < 0.01). Expression of diacylglycerol transferase, a marker of adipocyte differentiation, decreased in hMSCs treated with NFV. Amprenavir and indinavir did not affect adipogenesis or lipolysis. These results suggest that bone and fat formation in hMSCs of bone marrow may be coordinately down-regulated by some but not all PIs.

Adipocytes↗

A structural basis for the acute effects of HIV protease inhibitors on GLUT4 intrinsic activity.

Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) protease inhibitors (PIs) act as reversible noncompetitive inhibitors of GLUT4 with binding affinities in the low micromolar range and are known to contribute to alterations in glucose homeostasis during treatment of HIV infection. As aspartyl protease inhibitors, these compounds all possess a core peptidomimetic structure together with flanking hydrophobic moieties. To determine the molecular basis for GLUT4 inhibition, a family of related oligopeptides containing structural elements found in PIs was screened for their ability to inhibit 2-deoxyglucose transport in primary rat adipocytes. The peptide oxybenzylcarbonyl-His-Phe-Phe-O-ethyl ester (zHFFe) was identified as a potent inhibitor of zero-trans glucose flux with a K(i) of 26 mum. Similar to PIs, transport inhibition by this peptide was acute, noncompetitive, and reversible. Within a Xenopus oocyte expression system, zHFFe acutely and reversibly inhibited GLUT4-mediated glucose uptake, whereas GLUT1 activity was unaffected at concentrations as high as 1 mm. The related photoactivatable peptide zHFF-p-benzoylphenylalanine-[(125)I]Tyr-O-ethyl ester selectively labeled GLUT4 in rat adipocytes and indinavir effectively protected against photolabeling. Furthermore, GLUT4 bound to a peptide affinity column containing the zHFF sequence and was eluted by indinavir. These data establish a structural basis for PI effects on GLUT4 activity and support the direct binding of PIs to the transport protein as the mechanism for acute inhibition of insulin-stimulated glucose uptake.

Adipocytes↗

Saquinavir hard gel suppresses viral load insufficiently in HIV-infected patients naive to anti-retroviral therapy: a retrospective cohort study.

Protease inhibitors are important components in anti-retroviral regimens. In this retrospective study 29 HIV-infected patients treated with a regimen of zidovudine, lamivudine and saquinavir hard gel in 1 centre in Denmark were compared with 58 patients treated with zidovudine, lamivudine and ritonavir or indinavir followed at 5 other centres in Scandinavia. All patients were naive to anti-retroviral therapy prior to institution of the actual anti-retroviral regimen and were followed for a median of 1.3 and 1.4 y respectively. The 2 groups did not differ significantly with respect to age, gender, route of infection, ethnic background, viral load, CD4 count, AIDS at baseline or frequency of clinical controls. Six and 12 months after initiating anti-retroviral therapy, 31% and 34% of the patients on the saquinavir regimen obtained HIV-RNA < or = 500 compared with 76% and 73% in the control group (p < 0.001). In contrast to viral load, the increase in CD4 count did not differ significantly between the 2 groups. In conclusion, we found that with respect to suppression of viral load a regimen of saquinavir, zidovudine and lamivudine seemed to be inferior to a regimen of zidovudine, lamivudine and ritonavir or indinavir.

Adult↗

Novel four-drug salvage treatment regimens after failure of a human immunodeficiency virus type 1 protease inhibitor-containing regimen: antiviral activity and correlation of baseline phenotypic drug susceptibility with virologic outcome.

Twenty human immunodeficiency virus-infected patients experiencing virologic failure of an indinavir- or ritonavir-containing treatment regimen were evaluated in a prospective, open-label study. Subjects received nelfinavir, saquinavir, abacavir, and either another nucleoside analog (n=10) or nevirapine (n=10). Patients treated with the nevirapine-containing regimen experienced significantly greater virologic suppression at week 24 than those not treated with nevirapine (P=.04). Baseline phenotypic drug susceptibility was strongly correlated with outcome in both treatment arms. Subjects with baseline virus phenotypically sensitive to 2 or 3 drugs in the salvage regimen experienced significantly greater virus load suppression than those with baseline virus sensitive to 0 or 1 drug (median week-24 change=-2.24 log and -0.35 log, respectively; P=.01). In conclusion, non-nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors may represent a potent drug in salvage therapy regimens after failure of an indinavir or ritonavir regimen. Phenotypic resistance testing may provide a useful tool for selecting more effective salvage regimens.

Adult↗

Results of 2 years of treatment with protease-inhibitor--containing antiretroviral therapy in dutch children infected with human immunodeficiency virus type 1.

Clinical, virologic, and immunologic responses to treatment that contained either indinavir or nelfinavir (both regimens included zidovudine and lamivudine) were determined in 32 children infected with human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) who participated for >/= 96 weeks in a prospective, open, uncontrolled multicenter trial. The pharmacokinetics of indinavir and of nelfinavir were determined and showed large interindividual differences. After 96 weeks of therapy, 69% and 50% of the patients had an HIV-1 RNA load that was below the HIV assays' detection limits of 500 and 40 copies/mL, respectively. Virologic failure was associated with poor compliance and younger age (independent of baseline virus load and receipt of pretreatment). Relative CD4 cell counts increased significantly in relation to the median of the age-specific reference value, from a median of 44% at baseline to 94% after 96 weeks. In a high percentage of the children, clinical, virologic, and immunologic response rates to combination therapy were optimal during the initial 2 years of therapy.

Adolescent↗

Factors associated with accelerated atherosclerosis in HIV-1-infected persons treated with protease inhibitors.

Recent evidence suggests that as a group protease inhibitors (PIs) may accelerate certain factors associated with atherosclerosis. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of individual PIs (indinavir, lopinavir, nelfinavir, ritonavir, and saquinavir) on certain factors associated with atherosclerosis. Persons who took saquinavir and/or ritonavir were compared with those on other PIs. Between May 2000 and July 2001, the lipid profiles, C-reactive protein (CRP) levels, coronary artery calcium (CAC) scores, and blood cell morphologic parameters were measured in 98 black adult participants aged 25 to 45 years with HIV-1 infection in Baltimore, Maryland. Among these 98, there were 55 (56.1%) taking PIs. Students' t-test and chi2 test were used to detect the between-group differences. Study participants in both the PI and non-PI groups were similar in age, sex, body mass index, blood pressure, red and white blood cell counts, time since HIV diagnosis, and duration on anti-retroviral therapy. Compared with those who took non-PI regimens, those who took indinavir, nelfinavir, or saquinavir had significantly higher levels of mean corpuscular volume (MCV) and mean corpuscular hemoglobin (MCH). Those taking any PI had significantly higher total cholesterol and low-density lipoprotein. Those taking nelfinavir, ritonavir, or saquinavir were more likely to have a higher CAC score (>5) than those on non-PI regimens. There were no differences in the lipid profiles, MCV, MCH, CRP, and CAC between those taking saquinavir and/or ritonavir and those taking other PIs. Overall, the changes noted might lead to anticipation of clinical changes linked to accelerated atherosclerosis in patients on PIs.

Adult↗

Protease inhibitors for the treatment of human immunodeficiency virus infection.

The pharmacology, pharmacokinetics, efficacy, adverse effects, drug interactions, and dosage and administration of protease inhibitors are reviewed. Protease inhibitors are a novel class of drugs used for the treatment of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection. Saquinavir, ritonavir, indinavir, and nelfinavir have been approved in the United States; several other agents are under development. Protease inhibitors selectively block HIV protease, an enzyme involved in the later stages of HIV replication. Various pharmacokinetic differences exist among these agents, including differences in bioavailability, protein binding, and drug interactions. The drugs undergo extensive hepatic metabolism; dosage adjustments should be considered for patients with hepatic dysfunction. Clinical trials have shown protease inhibitors to be effective in reducing HIV RNA levels and increasing CD4+ lymphocyte counts. When protease inhibitors are used in combination with other antiretroviral agents, an additional beneficial effect on these markers occurs. Adverse effects of saquinavir and nelfinavir include mild gastrointestinal disturbances such as diarrhea. Ritonavir is less well tolerated because of gastrointestinal disturbances and circumoral and peripheral paresthesia. Indinavir has been associated with nephrolithiasis and asymptomatic hyperbilirubinemia. The development of resistance to protease inhibitors may be related to suboptimal dosages, noncompliance, or partial compliance. Protease inhibitors are potent and highly selective agents that block a critical step in HIV replication. They are effective and relatively well tolerated, but they are expensive, have extensive drug interaction profiles, and require careful compliance with the prescribed regimen.

Adult↗

Improvement of chronic diarrhoea in patients with advanced HIV-1 infection during potent antiretroviral therapy.

BACKGROUND: A substantial number of patients with advanced HIV infection suffer from intractable diarrhoea. The aim of this study was to evaluate whether potent antiretroviral therapy could alleviate such diarrhoea. METHODS: In an open randomized study the effect of the HIV protease inhibitor indinavir in combination with nucleoside analogue reverse transcriptase inhibitors on chronic HIV-related diarrhoea was investigated in 14 late-stage (CD4+ lymphocyte count < or = 50 x 10(6) cells/l) HIV-infected patients. Data concerning stool frequency, stool consistency and antidiarrhoeal drug use were collected in daily diaries over a 24-week period. Endpoints of the study were reduction of stool frequency, improvement of stool consistency, weight gain, and in case of diarrhoea due to Enterocytozoon bieneusi or Cryptosporidium sp. disappearance of these parasites from stool. RESULTS: Thirteen patients started the study drug indinavir. One patient died after 1 week and one patient withdrew prematurely after 18 weeks. Median stool frequency declined from 5.8 daily at baseline to 2.3 daily after 24 weeks (P=0.04). Stool consistency improved considerably over the study period: before treatment 56% of stools were watery and 0% were formed; at week 24 these figures were 0 and 35%, respectively. Body weight increased significantly with a median increment of 6.6 kg at week 24 (P=0.0006). In two out of six patients with microsporidiosis and both patients with cryptosporidiosis, stools were free of parasites at week 24. Five out of six patients who used non-specific antidiarrhoeal medication on a regular basis prior to the study had ceased to do so at the end. CONCLUSION: The use of potent antiretroviral therapy in patients with advanced HIV infection can improve chronic HIV-related diarrhoea and in some cases lead to disappearance of E. bieneusi and Cryptosporidium sp. from the stools.

AIDS-Related Opportunistic Infections↗

Insights into the reasons for discontinuation of the first highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) regimen in a cohort of antiretroviral naïve patients. I.CO.N.A. Study Group. Italian Cohort of Antiretroviral-Naïve Patients.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the frequency of discontinuation of the first highly active antiretroviral regimen (HAART) and the factors predictive of discontinuing for toxicity and failure in a population-based cohort of HIV-positive individuals in Italy, naïve from antiretrovirals at enrolment. METHODS: The study population consisted of individuals who initiated HAART and had at least one follow-up visit. The primary end-points were discontinuation of any component of HAART for drug toxicity and discontinuation for failure. Survival analyses were performed to identify predictive factors for reaching the two end-points. RESULTS: Eight hundred and sixty-two individuals initiated HAART; in 727 of them (84.3%) this consisted of two nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors (NRTI) and one protease inhibitor (PI). Over a median follow-up of 45 weeks, 312 patients (36.2%) discontinued therapy: 182 (21.1%) discontinued due to toxicity, 44 (5.1%) due to failure. The probability of discontinuing HAART at 1 year was 25.5% [95% confidence interval (CI), 21.9-28.9] due to toxicity and 7.6% (95% CI, 4.9-1 0.3) due to failure. Independent factors associated with discontinuation for toxicity were: gender [relative hazard (RH) = 0.51; 95% CI, 0.32-0.80 for men versus women], type of treatment (indinavir-containing regimens, RH = 1.94; 95% CI, 1.10-3.41 and ritonavir-containing regimens, RH = 3.83; 95% CI, 2.09-7.03 versus hard-gell saquinavir) and time spent on treatment (RH = 0.89; 95% CI, 0.80-0.98 for each additional month). Discontinuation due to failure was independently associated with the most recent HIV-RNA (RH = 3.20; 95% CI, 1.74-5.88 for log10 copies/ml higher), and with type of treatment (indinavir-containing regimens, RH = 0.21; 95% CI, 0.06-0.78 and ritonavir-containing regimens, RH = 0.23; 95% CI, 0.04-1.26 versus hard-gell saquinavir). CONCLUSIONS: If the current HAART regimen caused no toxicity, less than 10% of naïve patients discontinue their first HAART regimen because of failure after 1 year from starting therapy.

Adult↗

Efficacy and safety of twice daily first-line ritonavir/indinavir plus double nucleoside combination therapy in HIV-infected individuals. German Ritonavir/Indinavir Study Group.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the virological efficacy and safety of quadruple therapy with two nucleoside analogues and ritonavir (400 mg twice daily) plus indinavir (400 mg twice daily) combination in antiretroviral therapy-naive patients. DESIGN AND METHODS: An open-label, uncontrolled multicentre trial. Antiretroviral therapy-naive patients (n = 90) with high median baseline HIV RNA levels of 220,000 copies/ml (range, 36,000-2,943,000 copies/ml) and median CD4 cell count of 189 x 10(6)/l (range, 4-656 x 10(6)/l) were started on a twice daily regimen of either zidovudine/lamivudine (49%), stavudine/lamivudine (38%) or stavudine/didanosine (13%) plus ritonavir 400 mg twice daily and indinavir 400 mg twice daily combination therapy. CD4 cell counts and HIV RNA were determined at weeks 0, 4, 8, 12, 16, 20, and 24. Statistical analysis was performed on treatment as well as intent-to-treat, where missing values were accounted for as failure. RESULTS: In the intent-to-treat analysis at week 24, the proportion of patients with HIV RNA of < 500 copies/ml, and < 80 copies/ml was 86.7% and 71.1%, respectively. In the on-treatment analysis at week 24, 80.0% of patients had undetectable viral load in the ultrasensitive assay (< 80 copies/ml; n = 80). The quadruple therapy was well tolerated except for mild diarrhoea, initial nausea and increased triglyceride levels. Treatment was stopped in seven (7.7%) patients because of adverse events and three (3.3%) were lost to follow-up. CONCLUSIONS: Our preliminary data suggest that the protease inhibitor combination ritonavir/indinavir plus double nucleoside therapy appears to be effective and safe in short-term treatment (up to 24 weeks).

Adult↗

Sequencing of protease inhibitor therapy: insights from an analysis of HIV phenotypic resistance in patients failing protease inhibitors.

OBJECTIVE: To characterize the pattern of HIV-1 susceptibility to protease inhibitors in patients failing an initial protease inhibitor-containing regimen. DESIGN: A cross-sectional analysis of antiretroviral susceptibility. SETTING: HIV clinics in six metropolitan areas. PATIENTS: Eighty-eight HIV-infected adults with HIV RNA > 400 copies/ml after > or = 6 months of antiretroviral therapy, including the use of one protease inhibitor for > or = 3 months. MEASUREMENTS: The frequency and magnitude of decreased susceptibility, measured with a phenotypic assay using recombinant constructs, to five protease inhibitors. Decreased susceptibility was defined as > 2.5-fold increase in the 50% inhibitory concentration (IC50) compared with drug sensitive control virus. RESULTS: At study entry, patients were being treated with nelfinavir (63%), indinavir (25%), or another protease inhibitor (11%). HIV isolates from these patients were susceptible (fold change < 2.5) to all five protease inhibitors in 18% of patients and to none in 8%. Isolates from patients receiving nelfinavir were less likely to have reduced susceptibility to other protease inhibitors than isolates from patients treated with indinavir (P < 0.001) or one of the other three agents (P < 0.001), even after adjustment for the duration of prior protease inhibitor use. Reduced susceptibility to saquinavir and amprenavir was observed significantly less frequently than for the other protease inhibitors. CONCLUSION: The frequency of protease inhibitor cross-resistance and the magnitude of changes in susceptibility varied according to the initial protease inhibitor used in the failing treatment regimen. Significantly less protease inhibitor cross-resistance was demonstrated for isolates from patients failing a nelfinavir-containing regimen compared with those from patients receiving other protease inhibitors.

Adult↗

Clinical assessment of HIV-associated lipodystrophy in an ambulatory population.

OBJECTIVE: To identify clinical factors associated with prevalence of fat atrophy (lipoatrophy) and fat accumulation (lipoaccumulation) in HIV-1 infected patients. DESIGN: Evaluation of HIV-1 infected patients seen for routine care between 1 October and 31 December 1998 in the eight HIV Outpatient Study (HOPS) clinics. SETTING: Eight clinics specializing in the care of HIV-1 infected patients. PATIENTS: A total of 1077 patients were evaluated for signs of fat maldistribution. INTERVENTIONS: A standardized set of questions and specific clinical signs were assessed. Demographic, clinical and pharmacological data for each patient were also included in the analysis. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Demographic, immunologic, virologic, clinical, laboratory, and drug treatment factors were assessed in stratified and multivariate analyses for their relationship to the presence and severity of fat accumulation and atrophy. RESULTS: Independent factors for moderate/severe lipoatrophy for 171 patients were increasing age, any use of stavudine, use of indinavir for longer than 2 years, body mass index (BMI) loss, and measures of duration and severity of HIV disease. Independent risk factors for moderate/severe fat accumulation for 104 patients were increasing age, BMI gain, measures of amount and duration of immune recovery, and duration of antiretroviral therapy (ART). The number of non-drug risk factors substantially increased the likelihood of lipoatrophy. If non-drug risk factors were absent, lipoatrophy was unusual regardless of the duration of drug use. CONCLUSIONS: HIV-associated lipodystrophy is associated with several host, disease, and drug factors. While prevalence of lipoatrophy increased with the use of stavudine and indinavir, and lipoaccumulation was associated with duration of ART, other non-drug factors were strongly associated with both fat atrophy and accumulation.

Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome↗

Concentration-controlled compared with conventional antiretroviral therapy for HIV infection.

OBJECTIVES: To demonstrate the feasibility of a concentration-controlled approach to combination antiretroviral therapy, and to compare the virological responses and safety of this strategy versus conventional fixed-dose therapy. DESIGN: A prospective, randomized, 52 week, open-label trial of concentration-controlled compared with conventional dose zidovudine, lamivudine, and indinavir therapy conduced in a university-based general clinical research center in the United States. PATIENTS: Forty antiretroviral-naive individuals with plasma HIV-RNA levels > 5000 copies/ml. INTERVENTIONS: Zidovudine, lamivudine, and indinavir plasma concentrations were measured in all participants. Doses were adjusted in those assigned to concentration-controlled therapy to achieve levels equal to or greater than target values. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: The proportion of patients who achieved the desired drug concentrations, the proportion of patients with HIV-RNA levels < 50 copies/ml at week 52, and safety and tolerance in the concentration-controlled versus conventional therapy arms. RESULTS: Significantly more concentration-controlled recipients achieved the desired concentration targets for all three drugs: 15 of 16 concentration-controlled recipients compared with nine of 17 conventional recipients (P = 0.017) had HIV-RNA levels < 50 copies/ml at week 52. No difference was observed in the occurrence of drug-related clinical events or laboratory abnormalities between the two treatment arms. CONCLUSION: Concentration-controlled therapy implemented simultaneously for three antiretroviral agents was feasible, as well tolerated as conventional therapy, and resulted in a greater proportion of recipients with HIV-RNA levels < 50 copies/ml after 52 weeks. These findings provide a scientific basis to challenge the accepted practice of administering the same dose of antiretroviral agents to all adults, ignoring the concentrations actually achieved.

Adult↗

Multidrug resistance protein 2 (MRP2) transports HIV protease inhibitors, and transport can be enhanced by other drugs.

BACKGROUND: Various drug transporters of the ATP-binding cassette (ABC) family restrict the oral bioavailability and cellular, brain, testis, cerebrospinal fluid and fetal penetration of substrate drugs. MDRI P-glycoprotein (P-gp) has been demonstrated to transport most HIV protease inhibitors (HPI) and to reduce their oral bioavailability and lymphocyte, brain, testis and fetal penetration, possibly resulting in major limiting effects on the therapeutic efficacy of these drugs. OBJECTIVES: To investigate whether the ABC transporters MRP1, MRP2, MRP3, MRP5 and breast cancer resistance protein 1 (Bcrp1) are efficient transporters of the HPI saquinavir, ritonavir and indinavir. METHODS: Polarized epithelial non-human (canine) cell lines transduced with human or murine complementary DNA (cDNA) for each of the transporters were used to study transepithelial transport of the HPI. RESULTS: MRP2 efficiently transported saquinavir, ritonavir and indinavir and this transport could be enhanced by probenecid. Sulfinpyrazone was also able to enhance MRP2-mediated saquinavir transport. In contrast, MRP1, MRP3, MRP5, or Bcrp1 did not efficiently transport the HPI tested. CONCLUSIONS: Human MRP2 actively transports several HPI and could, based on its known and assumed tissue distribution, therefore reduce HPI oral bioavailability. It may also limit brain and fetal penetration of these drugs and increase their hepatobiliary, intestinal and renal clearance. MRP2 function and enhancement of its activity could adversely affect the therapeutic efficacy, including the pharmacological sanctuary penetration, of HPI. In vivo inhibition of MRP2 function might, therefore, improve HIV/AIDS therapy.

ATP Binding Cassette Transporter, Subfamily G, Mem↗

A randomized trial to study first-line combination therapy with or without a protease inhibitor in HIV-1-infected patients.

OBJECTIVE: To compare one protease inhibitor (PI)-based and two PI-sparing antiretroviral therapy regimens. METHODS: International, open label, randomized study of antiretroviral drug-naive patients, with CD4 lymphocyte counts >/= 200 x 106 cells/l and plasma HIV-1 RNA levels > 500 copies/ml. Treatment assignment to stavudine and didanosine plus indinavir or nevirapine or lamivudine. Primary study endpoint was the percentage of patients with plasma HIV-1 RNA levels < 500 copies/ml after 48 weeks in the intention-to-treat analysis (ITT). RESULTS: In total, 298 patients were enrolled. After 48 weeks, the percentage of patients in the indinavir, nevirapine and lamivudine arms with HIV-1 RNA < 500 copies/ml was 57.0%, 58.4% and 58.7%, respectively, in an ITT analysis. After 96 weeks of follow-up, these percentages were 50.0%, 59.6% and 45.0%, respectively. The percentage of patients with HIV-1 RNA < 50 copies/ml was significantly less for those allocated to lamivudine in an on-treatment analysis after 48 and 96 weeks of follow-up. Patients in the nevirapine arm experienced a smaller increase in the absolute number of CD4 T lymphocytes. There were no significant differences in the incidence of serious adverse events. CONCLUSIONS: A comparable virological response can be achieved with first-line PI-base and PI-sparing regimens. The triple nucleoside regimen utilized may be less likely to result in viral suppression to < 50 copies/ml, while the nevirapine-based regimen is associated with a lower increase in CD4 T lymphocytes.

Adolescent↗

High-performance liquid chromatographic method for the simultaneous determination of the six HIV-protease inhibitors and two non-nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors in human plasma.

A selective and sensitive high-performance liquid chromatographic (HPLC) method has been developed for the determination of the six human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-protease inhibitors (amprenavir, indinavir, lopinavir, nelfinavir, ritonavir, and saquinavir) and the non-nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors (efavirenz and nevirapine) in a single run. After a liquid-liquid extraction with diethyl ether, the six protease inhibitors and the two non-nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors are separated on a Stability RP18 column eluted with a gradient of acetonitrile and phosphate buffer 50 mmol/L pH 5.65. A sequential ultraviolet detection (5-minute sequence set at 240 nm for nevirapine acquisition, 22-minute sequence set at 215 nm for other antiretroviral drugs acquisition followed by a sequence set at 260 nm for internal standard acquisition) allowed for simultaneous quantitation of the six protease inhibitors, nevirapine, and efavirenz. Calibration curves were linear in the range 100 ng/mL to 10,000 ng/mL. The limit of quantitation was 50 ng/mL for all drugs except nevirapine (100 ng/mL). Average accuracy at four concentrations ranged from 88.2% to 110.9%. Both interday and intraday coefficients of variation were less than 11% for all drugs. The extraction recoveries were greater than 62%. This method is simple and shows a good specificity with respect to commonly co-prescribed drugs. This method allows accurate therapeutic monitoring of amprenavir, indinavir, lopinavir, nelfinavir, ritonavir, saquinavir, efavirenz, and nevirapine.

Alkynes↗