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HIV/AIDS

Low Trough Plasma Concentrations of Nevirapine Associated with Virologic Rebounds in HIV-Infected Patients Who Switched from Protease Inhibitors

Hospital Practitioner, Department of Infectious Diseases, Hôpital du Bocage, Dijon, France; School of Medicine, University of Burgundy-Dijon

Marielle Buisson, MD

Hospital Practitioner, Department of Infectious Diseases, School of Medicine, University of Burgundy

Gilles Peytavin, PharmD

Department of Clinical Pharmacokinetics, School of Medicine, University of Bichat, Paris, France

Evelyne Kohli, PhD

Hospital Practitioner, Laboratory of Virology, School of Medicine, University of Burgundy

Lionel Piroth, MD

Assistant Professor of Medicine, Department of Infectious Diseases, School of Medicine, University of Burgundy

Benoit Martha, MD

Assistant of Medicine, Department of Infectious Diseases, School of Medicine, University of Burgundy

Michèle Grappin, MD

Hospital Practitioner, Department of Infectious Diseases, School of Medicine, University of Burgundy

Pascal Chavanet, MD

Professor of Medicine, Department of Infectious Diseases, School of Medicine, University of Burgundy

Henri Portier, MD

Professor of Medicine, Department of Infectious Diseases, School of Medicine, University of Burgundy

Reprints: Dr. Duong, Department of Infectious Diseases, Hôpital du Bocage, bvd Maréchal de Lattre de Tassigny, 21034 Dijon, France, fax 380 29 36 38, michel.duong{at}chu-dijon.fr

BACKGROUND: The substitution of a nonnucleoside reverse-transcriptase inhibitor (NNRTI) for protease inhibitors (PIs) has demonstrated its suitability to maintain virologic response. However, the switch from PIs to an NNRTI could fail for a number of reasons, including NNRTI-associated toxicity and emergence of NNRTI-resistant variants.

OBJECTIVE: To describe the virologic failures among 74 HIV-infected patients who switched from PIs to nevirapine.

METHODS: Virologic failure was defined as any rebound of the plasma HIV-RNA (pVL) levels >1000 copies/mL on one occasion or 2 consecutive intermittent viremia episodes defined as increases of the pVL >20 copies/mL but <1000 copies/mL. Virologic failures were investigated retrospectively by determining nevirapine trough concentrations and performing genotypic resistance analysis.

RESULTS: The mean nevirapine concentration was significantly lower in patients with virologic failure in comparison with patients with virologic response (2572 ± 1642 vs 4550 ± 2084 ng/mL, respectively; p = 0.003). In multivariate analysis, the mean duration of undetectable pVL before the switch and the mean plasma concentration of nevirapine were significantly associated with virologic success with relative rates of 1.39 (95% CI 1.10 to 1.76, p = 0.006) and 2.7 (95% CI 1.37 to 5.41, p = 0.01), respectively. In patients with pVL >1000 copies/mL, nevirapine mutations and nucleoside reverse-transcriptase inhibitor mutations were found in 80% of the cases.

CONCLUSIONS: The risk of virologic failure after the switch from PI to nevirapine is higher in cases of inadequate nevirapine plasma concentrations. Our data support prospective monitoring of nevirapine plasma concentrations to detect low concentrations prior to the emergence of resistance mutations.

Key Words: nevirapine, plasma concentration, treatment failure, virologic resistance

Published Online, February 15, 2005. www.theannals.com, DOI 10.1345/aph.1E563