Body mass index increase and weight gain among people living with HIV-1 initiated on single-tablet darunavir/cobicistat/emtricitabine/tenofovir alafenamide or bictegravir/emtricitabine/tenofovir alafenamide in the United States

Abstract

Objective This study evaluated body mass index (BMI) and weight changes in people living with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV-1; PLWH) initiated on single-tablet darunavir/cobicistat/emtricitabine/tenofovir alafenamide (DRV/c/FTC/TAF) or bictegravir/FTC/TAF (BIC/FTC/TAF). Methods Electronic medical records (EMR) data for treatment-naïve or virologically suppressed adults with HIV-1 who initiated treatment with DRV/c/FTC/TAF or BIC/FTC/TAF (index date) were obtained from Decision Resources Group’s EMR (7/17/2017–3/1/2020). Inverse probability of treatment weighting was used to account for differences in baseline characteristics between the two cohorts. BMI and weight changes from pre-index to 3, 6, 9, and 12 months following the index date were compared using weighted mean differences (MDs). The time until an increase in BMI or weight ≥5% or ≥10% was compared using weighted hazard ratios (HRs). Results The weighted DRV/c/FTC/TAF and BIC/FTC/TAF cohorts comprised 1,116 and 1,134 PLWH, respectively (mean age=∼49 years, females: ∼28%). Larger increases in BMI and weight from pre-index to each post-index time points were observed in PLWH initiating BIC/FTC/TAF vs DRV/c/FTC/TAF (12 months: MD in BMI =1.23 kg/m2, p < 0.001; MD in weight =2.84 kg [6.26 lbs], p = 0.008). PLWH receiving BIC/FTC/TAF were significantly more likely to experience weight gain ≥5% (HR =1.76, p = 0.004) and ≥10% (HR =2.01, p = 0.020) and BMI increase ≥5% (HR =1.77, p = 0.004) and ≥10% (HR =1.76, p = 0.044) than those receiving DRV/c/FTC/TAF. Conclusions BIC/FTC/TAF was associated with greater BMI and weight increases compared to DRV/c/FTC/TAF. Weight gain and its sequelae may add to the clinical burden of PLWH and should be considered among other factors when selecting antiretroviral single-tablet regimens.