Utility of Different Adherence Measures for PrEP: Patterns and Incremental Value

Andrew Abaasa,Gaudensia Mutua,Freddie Kibengo,Monica Gandhi,Anatoli Kamali,Jessica E Haberer,Peter Anderson,Eduard J Sanders,Frances Priddy,Craig Hendrix,Namandjé N Bumpus

doi:10.1007/s10461-017-1951-y

Abstract

Measuring PrEP adherence remains challenging. In 2009–2010, the International AIDS Vaccine Initiative randomized phase II trial participants to daily tenofovir disoproxil fumarate/emtricitabine or placebo in Uganda and Kenya. Adherence was measured by electronic monitoring (EM), self-report (SR), and drug concentrations in plasma and hair. Each adherence measure was categorised as low, moderate, or high and also considered continuously; the incremental value of combining measures was determined. Forty-five participants were followed over 4 months. Discrimination for EM adherence by area under receiver operating curves (AROC) was poor for SR (0.53) and best for hair (AROC 0.85). When combining hair with plasma or hair with self-report, discrimination was improved (AROC > 0.9). Self-reported adherence was of low utility by itself. Hair level was the single best PK measure to predict EM-assessed adherence; the other measurements had lower discrimination values. Combining short-term (plasma) and long-term (hair) metrics could be useful to assess patterns of drug-taking in the context of PrEP.

Highlights

According to UNAIDS, an estimated 2 million individuals acquired HIV in 2015 globally, with infection rates being highest in sub-Saharan Africa [1]
We provide a comprehensive assessment of multiple non-PK and PK adherence measures adjusted to align over a set duration of time within a phase II pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) trial in two distinct populations: men who have sex with men (MSM) and serodiscordant couples
Of the 139 participants randomized in all sites (Uganda and Kenya) of the International AIDS Vaccine Initiative (IAVI) trial, 45 (32.4%) were assigned to daily active tenofovir/ emtricitabine and were eligible for this analysis

Summary

Introduction

According to UNAIDS, an estimated 2 million individuals acquired HIV in 2015 globally, with infection rates being highest in sub-Saharan Africa [1]. A number of clinical trials examining the efficacy of oral pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) [2,3,4,5,6] with tenofovir disoproxil fumarate/emtricitabine (TDF/FTC) have been published in recent years. Results from these studies have been largely positive, indicate that PrEP prevents acquisition of HIV infection when users are adherent [2, 4], and have led to broad recommendations for PrEP use worldwide [7]. Non-pharmacokinetic (non-PK) measures include self-report, pharmacy refills, pill counts, and electronic monitoring (EM; pill bottles that record each opening). Pharmacokinetic (PK) metrics are available, such as monitoring drug levels in plasma, peripheral blood

Methods

Results

Conclusion