Use Of Integrase Inhibitors Research Articles

Clinical Features and Outcomes of Coronavirus Disease 2019 Among People With Human Immunodeficiency Virus in the United States: A Multicenter Study From a Large Global Health Research Network (TriNetX).

BackgroundHuman immunodeficiency virus infection (HIV) is a presumed risk factor for severe coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), yet little is known about COVID-19 outcomes in people with HIV (PWH).MethodsWe used the TriNetX database to compare COVID-19 outcomes of PWH and HIV-negative controls aged ≥18 years who sought care in 44 healthcare centers in the United States from January 1 to December 1, 2020. Outcomes of interest were rates of hospitalization (composite of inpatient non-intensive care [ICU] and ICU admissions), mechanical ventilation, severe disease (ICU admission or death), and 30-day mortality.ResultsOf 297 194 confirmed COVID-19 cases, 1638 (0.6%) were HIV-infected, with >83% on antiretroviral therapy (ART) and 48% virally suppressed. Overall, PWH were more commonly younger, male, African American or Hispanic, had more comorbidities, were more symptomatic, and had elevated procalcitonin and interleukin 6. Mortality at 30 days was comparable between the 2 groups (2.9% vs 2.3%, P = .123); however, PWH had higher rates hospitalization (16.5% vs 7.6%, P < .001), ICU admissions (4.2% vs 2.3%, P < .001), and mechanical ventilation (2.4% vs 1.6%, P < .005). Among PWH, hospitalization was independently associated with male gender, being African American, integrase inhibitor use, and low CD4 count; whereas severe disease was predicted by older age (adjusted odds ratio [aOR], 8.33; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.06–50.00; P = .044) and CD4 <200 cells/mm3 (aOR, 8.33; 95% CI, 1.06–50.00; P = .044).ConclusionsPeople with HIV had higher rates of poor COVID-19 outcomes but were not more at risk of death than their non-HIV-infected counterparts. Older age and low CD4 count predicted adverse outcomes.

Blood-Brain Barrier Impairment in Patients Living with HIV: Predictors and Associated Biomarkers.

Despite the substantial changes resulting from the introduction of combination antiretroviral therapy (cART), the prevalence of HIV-associated neurocognitive disorders (HAND) remains substantial. Blood–brain barrier impairment (BBBi) is a frequent feature in people living with HIV (PLWH) and it may persist despite effective antiretroviral treatment. A cross-sectional study was performed in PLWH who underwent lumbar puncture for clinical reasons or research protocols and several cerebrospinal fluid biomarkers were studied. BBBi was defined as cerebrospinal fluid-to-serum albumin ratio (CSAR) >6.5 (<40 years) or >8 (>40 years). We included 464 participants: 147 cART-naïve and 317 on cART. Male sex was prevalent in both groups (72.1% and 72.2% respectively); median age was 44 (38–52) years in naïve and 49 (43–57) years in treated subjects. BBBi was observed in 35.4% naïve and in 22.7% treated participants; the use of integrase inhibitors was associated with a lower prevalence (18.3 vs. 30.9%, p = 0.050). At multivariate binary logistic regression (including age and sex) nadir CD4 cell count (p = 0.034), presence of central nervous system (CNS) opportunistic infections (p = 0.024) and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) HIV RNA (p = 0.002) in naïve participants and male sex (p = 0.021), a history of CNS opportunistic infections (p = 0.001) and CSF HIV RNA (p = 0.034) in treated patients were independently associated with BBBi. CSF cells and neopterin were significantly higher in participants with BBBi. BBBi was prevalent in naïve and treated PLWH and it was associated with CSF HIV RNA and neopterin. Systemic control of viral replication seems to be essential for BBB integrity while sex and treatment influence need further studies.

Impact of Integrase inhibitors and tenofovir alafenamide on weight gain in people with HIV.

Obesity is increasing in people with HIV (PWH). This review aims to summarise the recent evidence investigating the associations between the use of integrase inhibitors and tenofovir alafenamide (TAF) with weight gain and the mechanisms by which this may occur. Understanding the role that antiretroviral therapies play in promoting weight gain is critical in making informed treatment decisions. Weight gain is common with antiretroviral therapies and can lead to significant medical complications for PWH. Antiretroviral regimens containing an integrase inhibitor in conjunction with TAF are associated with the greatest degree of weight gain. This weight gain is greatest with dolutegravir and bictegravir compared with other integrase inhibitors. Some of the measured weight gain attributed to TAF may actually reflect a loss of weight suppressant effects of tenofovir disoproxil fumarate, and thus the exact proportional contribution of TAF remains to be seen. The mechanisms by which advent of antiretroviral therapy may be promoting weight gain is still being determined but underlying genetic risks factors and gender are very important determinants of the degree of weight gained. Integrase inhibitors and TAF contribute to weight gain in PWH. This places them at risk for potentially serious medical complications.

LB-7. Weight Change in Suppressed People with HIV (PWH) Switched from Either Tenofovir Disoproxil Fumarate (TDF) or Abacavir (ABC) to Tenofovir Alafenamide (TAF)

BackgroundWeight gain in PWH occurred in both naïve and switch studies and is linked to use of integrase inhibitors (INSTIs) with varying associations with nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors (NRTIs). One hypothesis is that gain associated with TAF when switching from TDF is a result of cessation of TDF-induced weight suppression.MethodsThe study evaluated weight change in suppressed PWH on INSTI+NRTIs switched from ABC or TDF to TAF. Eligible pts had HIV, were ≥ 18 yrs at index (date of switch), treatment-experienced with known prior regimen, suppressed at index (-12 to +1 mo) and 1 yr, ≥ 6 mo pre-index history, with weight measures at index and 1 yr, no current or pre-index use of protease inhibitor or non-nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitor. Univariate comparisons were performed using Χ2 for categorical and t-test for continuous variables; negative binomial model with log link function evaluated risk of gain ≥ 3% of body weight between groups accounting for age, gender, race, body mass index (BMI), CD4. Linear mixed effects model was used to estimate mean weight at index and 1 yr post switch.ResultsOf 970 pts, 828 (85%) switched from TDF to TAF and 142 (15%) from ABC to TAF. Groups were balanced by race, gender, index BMI [Table 1]. Figures 1a-b describe pre- and post-switch INSTI use. At 1 yr, mean unadjusted weight change was 1.4 kg in TDF and 0.2 in ABC group p=0.039. TDF to TAF had higher proportion of PWH with gain ≥ 3% vs ABC to TAF (40% vs 27% p=0.003); differences in gain ≥ 5% and ≥ 10% were not statistically significant (26% vs 22% p=0.323 and 10% vs 6% p=0.220). Pts who gained ≥ 3% were younger, with greater proportion of females, non-obese, with 1 prior regimen, and prior elvitegravir (EVG) use. In adjusted analysis TDF to TAF had higher risk of gain ≥ 3% vs ABC to TAF [Figure 2]. In sensitivity analysis accounting for EVG or dolutegravir (DTG) use, TDF to TAF also had higher risk of ≥ 3% gain vs ABC to TAF: adjusted risk ratio (aRR)= 1.38 [1.01–1.89] and aRR= 1.42 [1.02–1.97].Table 1. Baseline (index) characteristics. Figures 1a-b. Distribution of pre switch and post switch INSTI use. Figure 2. Risk of weight gain ≥ 3% of body weight at 1 year post switch accounting for age, gender, race, index BMI, and CD4. ConclusionSwitching from TDF to TAF in INSTI-based regimens had a greater risk of weight gain vs ABC to TAF. This difference persisted when accounting for impact of the INSTI agent in the current regimen. These data suggest that differences in weight gain between TAF and TDF are driven by removal of TDF-associated weight suppression.Disclosures Paul Sax, MD, Gilead (Consultant, Research Grant or Support)Janssen (Consultant)Merck (Consultant, Research Grant or Support)ViiV Healthcare (Consultant, Research Grant or Support) Keri N. Althoff, PhD, MPH, Gilead (Advisor or Review Panel member) Keri N. Althoff, PhD, MPH, All of Us Study (NIH) (Individual(s) Involved: Self): Consultant; MedIQ (Individual(s) Involved: Self): Consultant; TrioHealth (Individual(s) Involved: Self): Advisor or Review Panel member Todd T. Brown, MD, PhD, Gilead (Consultant)Merck (Consultant)Theratechnologies (Consultant)ViiV Healthcare (Consultant) Janna Radtchenko, MBA, Trio Health (Employee) Helena Diaz Cuervo, PhD, Gilead Sciences (Employee) Steven Santiago, MD, Gilead (Advisor or Review Panel member, Speaker's Bureau)Janssen (Speaker's Bureau) Graeme Moyle, MD, Theratechnologies (Consultant) Karam Mounzer, MD, Epividian (Advisor or Review Panel member)Gilead (Advisor or Review Panel member, Research Grant or Support, Speaker's Bureau)Janssen (Advisor or Review Panel member, Research Grant or Support, Speaker's Bureau)Merck (Advisor or Review Panel member, Research Grant or Support, Speaker's Bureau)ViiV Healthcare (Advisor or Review Panel member, Research Grant or Support, Speaker's Bureau) Richard Elion, MD, Gilead (Advisor or Review Panel member, Research Grant or Support, Speaker's Bureau)Janssen (Speaker's Bureau)Proteus (Research Grant or Support)ViiV Healthcare (Advisor or Review Panel member, Research Grant or Support)

Prevalence of Potential Drug-Drug Interactions in Patients of the Swiss HIV Cohort Study in the Era of HIV Integrase Inhibitors.

Prevalence of potential drug-drug interactions (PDDIs) between antiretroviral drugs (ARVs) and co-medications was high in 2008 in a Swiss HIV Cohort Study (SHCS) survey. We reassessed the prevalence of PDDIs in the era of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) integrase inhibitors (INIs), characterized by more favorable interaction profiles. The prevalence of PDDIs in treated HIV-positive individuals was assessed for the period 01-12/2018 by linkage of the Liverpool HIV drug interactions and SHCS databases. PDDIs were categorized as harmful (red flagged), of potential clinical relevance (amber flagged), or of weak clinical significance (yellow flagged). In 9298 included individuals, median age was 51 years (IQR, 43-58), and 72% were males. Individuals received unboosted INIs (40%), boosted ARVs (30%), and nonnucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitor (NNRTIs) (32%)-based regimens. In the entire cohort, 68% received ≥1 co-medication, 14% had polypharmacy (≥5 co-medications) and 29% had ≥1 PDDI. Among individuals with co-medication, the prevalence of combined amber and yellow PDDIs was 43% (33% amber-mostly with cardiovascular drugs-and 20% yellow-flagged PDDIs) compared to 59% in 2008. Two percent had red-flagged PDDIs (mostly with corticosteroids), the same as in the 2008 survey. Compared with 2008, fewer individuals received boosted ARVs (-24%) and NNRTIs (-13%) but the use of co-medications was higher. Prevalence of PDDIs was lower with more widespread use of INIs in 2018 than in 2008. Continued use of boosted regimens and increasing needs for co-medications in this aging population impeded lower rates of PDDIs.

Impact of genotypic diversity on selection of subtype-specific drug resistance profiles during raltegravir-based therapy in individuals infected with B and BF recombinant HIV-1 strains.

Current knowledge on HIV-1 resistance to integrase inhibitors (INIs) is based mostly on subtype B strains. This contrasts with the increasing use of INIs in low- and middle-income countries, where non-B subtypes predominate. HIV-1 drug resistance genotyping was performed in 30 HIV-1-infected individuals undergoing virological failure to raltegravir. Drug resistance mutations (DRMs) and HIV-1 subtype were characterized using Stanford HIVdb and phylogenetic analyses. Of the 30 integrase (IN) sequences, 14 were characterized as subtype F (47%), 8 as subtype B (27%), 7 as BF recombinants (23%) and 1 as a putative CRF05_DF (3%). In 25 cases (83%), protease and reverse transcriptase (PR-RT) sequences from the same individuals confirmed the presence of different BF recombinants. Stanford HIVdb genotyping was concordant with phylogenetic inference in 70% of IN and 60% of PR-RT sequences. INI DRMs differed between B and F IN subtypes, with Q148K/R/H, G140S and E138K/A being more prevalent in subtype B (63% versus 0%, P = 0.0021; 50% versus 0%, P = 0.0096; and 50% versus 0%, P = 0.0096, respectively). These differences were independent of the time on raltegravir therapy or viral load at the time of genotyping. INI DRMs in subtype F IN genomes predicted a lower level of resistance to raltegravir and no cross-resistance to second-generation INIs. Alternative resistance pathways to raltegravir develop in subtypes B and F IN genomes, with implications for clinical practice. Evaluating the role of HIV-1 subtype in development and persistence of mutations that confer resistance to INIs will be important to improve algorithms for resistance testing and optimize the use of INIs.

341. Risk of Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus after Antiretroviral Therapy Initiation in Individuals Living with HIV in the United States

BackgroundLimited data exist on the risk of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) with the use of integrase inhibitors. We assessed the risk of incident T2DM with antiretroviral therapy (ART).MethodsART-naïve (ART-N) and -experienced, suppressed (ART-ES; baseline viral load 13 years of age initiating dolutegravir (DTG), elvitegravir/cobicistat (EVG/c), raltegravir (RAL) or boosted darunavir (bDRV) in the OPERA® cohort. After excluding prevalent prediabetes/T2DM and missing baseline covariates, incidence rates of T2DM (i.e., diagnosis, antidiabetic drug, and/orHbA1C >6.5%) were estimated with Poisson regression. The association between core agents and incident T2DM was estimated with multivariate Cox proportional hazards regression adjusted for age, sex, race, HCV co-infection and BMI at baseline. Median (IQR) absolute BMI change from baseline was evaluated at 6, 12, 18, and 24 months in those who developed incident T2DM and those who did not. All analyses were stratified by ART experience.ResultsIndividuals prescribed these ART regimens varied significantly (Figure 1). Overall, incidence rate per 1,000 person-years was low for T2DM (ART-N IR: 9.1; 95% CI: 7.5, 10.9; ART-ES IR: 13.3; 95% CI: 11.6, 15.2; Figure 2). Among ART-N initiators, no statistical difference was observed in the risk of progression to T2DM between DTG and EVG/c (aHR: 0.70; 95% CI: 0.47, 1.05) or bDRV (aHR: 0.53; 95% CI: 0.26, 1.04); RAL could not be evaluated due to the small number of T2DM events. Among ART-ES initiators; no difference was observed between DTG and EVG/c (aHR: 0.96; 95% CI: 0.70, 1.33), RAL (aHR: 1.17; 95% CI: 0.70, 1.96) or bDRV (aHR: 0.90; 95% CI: 0.57, 1.42) (Figure 3). A greater absolute change in BMI was observed for ART-N initiators developing T2DM at all timepoints; reaching statistical significance at 12 and 18 months (Figure 4). No differences were observed for ART-ES initiators.ConclusionIncident T2DM was uncommon among ART-N and ART-ES persons initiating DTG, EVG/c, RAL or bDRV in this large clinical population. None of the comparisons between DTG and other core agents showed a statistically significant increased risk of T2DM. However, due to the small number of events in the ART-N population differential risk cannot be excluded and monitoring HbA1c remains prudent. Disclosures All authors: No reported disclosures.

Are new antiretroviral treatments increasing the risks of clinical obesity?

There is growing evidence that the use of integrase inhibitors could lead to statistically significant increases in body weight and even clinical obesity, although it is unclear whether these changes are clinically significant. The effects of integrase inhibitors on body weight need to be analysed for women and by race, because current evidence suggests different effects. Potential additional effects of NRTIs on body weight need to be evaluated. Combined, standardised analyses of Phase 3 and independent clinical trials, with endpoints following the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) guidelines where feasible, should be conducted to answer this question definitively. Analyses should also include a range of laboratory markers of cardiovascular risk, as proposed by the FDA.

Lean mass declines consistently over 10 years in people living with HIV on antiretroviral therapy, with patterns differing by sex.

The long-term trajectory of and factors affecting lean mass in people living with HIV (PLWH) are incompletely described. PLWH in the Modena HIV Metabolic Cohort underwent dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) scans every 6-12 months for up to 10 years (median 4.6 scans). Mixed effect regression modelling in combined and sex-stratified models determined annual rates of and clinical factors significantly associated with appendicular lean mass (ALM). A total of 839 women and 1,759 men contributing ≥2 DXA scans had baseline median age 44 years and 14 years since HIV diagnosis; 76% were virologically suppressed on antiretroviral therapy (ART). Baseline median ALM was 16.9 kg for women and 24.8 kg for men. ALM decreased during the study period, with mean yearly ALM loss of -231 g in women and -322 g in men. Less ALM was associated with female sex, age >50 years, detectable HIV-1 RNA, and tenofovir and integrase inhibitor use. Greater ALM was associated with longer ART duration. In sex-stratified models, relationships between ALM and total ART duration and integrase inhibitor use were not significant for women, but the relationship with tenofovir use persisted. For men, AIDS wasting and CD4+ T-lymphocyte nadir <200 cells/μl were independently associated with lower ALM. ALM steadily declined over time in this cohort of PLWH on ART that included a large number of women. HIV- and ART-specific risk factors emerged that varied by sex. The observed associations between tenofovir or integrase inhibitor use and lower ALM particularly warrant further study.

Antiretroviral Therapy in Advanced HIV Disease: Which is the Best Regimen?

Advanced HIV disease, defined as a CD4 cell count below 200 cells/μl or the presence of an AIDS-defining illness, remains common among HIV-infected individuals who first present for medical care. In developed countries, nearly 30% of new HIV diagnoses occurred at advanced stages of the disease, and it is important because advanced HIV disease has been associated with worse clinical outcomes, including lower rates of virological response, higher morbidity, and higher mortality. However, there are scarce data regarding which is the best antiretroviral regimen in these patients. Nowadays, integrase inhibitor-based regimens are widely recommended as the best initial therapy for treatment-naïve HIV-infected patients by all international guidelines. However, these guidelines hardly mention the recommended regimens in individuals with advanced HIV disease. Otherwise, recent data indicating a higher risk of immune reconstitution inflammatory syndrome associated to the use of integrase inhibitors have raised concerns on the use of these drugs in patients with advanced HIV disease. The aim of this article is to review the available evidence from randomized clinical trials for the best treatment in patients with advanced HIV disease.

Resistance to HIV Integrase Inhibitors: About R263K and E157Q Mutations.

The use of integrase inhibitors (INI) is increasing in antiretroviral therapies (ART) and INI are not all equal regarding genetic barrier to resistance. The aim of this manuscript was to review main in vivo and in vitro knowledge about two particular integrase resistance-associated mutations: R263K and E157Q. The R263K mutation was the first mutation rarely found selected at time of virological failure in patients failing a first-line dolutegravir-based treatment. Further in vitro studies on R263K mutants showed a moderate increase in phenotypic resistance level and a drastic reduction in viral replicative capacity. No compensatory mutations were evidenced. The E157Q mutation is polymorphic, found between 1.7% and 5.6% of viral sequences issued from ART-naïve patients depending on the viral subtype; as well as acquired resistance emerging at failure of a raltegravir-based regimen in two case reports. We reported data on phenotypic resistance level of E157Q mutants and virological response of patients harboring a E157Q virus initiating an INI-based regimen, showing that dolutegravir might be the most recommended INI in such patients. These findings show that there is still a need for a better understanding of resistance mechanisms to INI and emphasized the importance of genotypic background in viral evolution under drug pressure.

Obesity Following Antiretroviral Therapy (ART) Initiation is Common and Influenced by Both Traditional and HIV-/ART-Specific Risk Factors

BackgroundWeight gain commonly occurs among HIV-infected (HIV+) adults initiating modern ART regimens, and obesity is increasingly reported in this population. However, data regarding specific risk factors for obesity development after ART initiation are conflicting.MethodsWe retrospectively analyzed data from a cohort of HIV+ adults who initiated ART between January 1, 2000 and December 31, 2015 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Body mass index (BMI) was assessed at ART initiation. Participants who were non-obese (BMI < 30kg/m2) at baseline and had ≥90 days of ART exposure were followed for development of obesity. Participants were censored at the time of obesity diagnosis or at end of follow-up (defined as death, loss to follow-up, end of study period or 2 years after their last weight measurement). Incidence rates were estimated using Poisson regression models and risk factor assessment was calculated using Cox regression models accounting for death and loss to follow-up as competing risks.ResultsParticipants (n = 1,794) were 61.3% male, 48.3% white and had a median age of 36.3 years. At ART initiation, participants had a median BMI of 22.6kg/m2 and BMI category distribution was: underweight 14%, normal weight 56%, overweight 22% and obese 8%. Of the 1,567 non-obese participants followed after ART initiation, 76% gained weight, 44% increased their BMI category and 18% developed obesity. Median BMI at the end of follow-up was 24.7kg/m2 (0.4kg/m2 median annual change), the obesity incidence rate was 37.4 per 1000 person-years and the median time to obesity diagnosis was 1.9 years (vs. 4.7 years of follow-up for participants remaining non-obese). Factors associated with obesity after ART initiation included younger age at ART initiation, female sex, higher baseline BMI, lower baseline CD4+ T lymphocyte count, higher baseline HIV-1 RNA, having an integrase inhibitor as the most-used ART core drug and having diagnoses of hypertension and diabetes mellitus (Figure).ConclusionObesity following ART initiation is frequent among HIV+ adults, with rates increasing in recent years. Both traditional (female sex) and HIV-specific (more advanced HIV disease, integrase inhibitor use) risk factors contribute importantly to obesity incidence following ART initiation.Disclosures All authors: No reported disclosures.

Acute HIV Infection: Advances in Mechanisms and Prophylactic Therapeutic Management.

Human infection by HIV is spreading rapidly. The spread of the virus is generally organized and transmission can be rectal, oral, or penile. Several types of cells are susceptible to viral invasion. The appearance of symptoms during infection can vary, but the presence of the virus can be confirmed by testing for the antigen p24. The ELISA test is used to detect viral p24 antigen and antiviral antibodies. This technique is approved for the purposes of clinical practice. Highly active antiretroviral therapy is usually a costly and lengthy treatment for HIV infection. A rapid point of care test has also been developed to detect acute infection. There is a need for preventing HIV infection and improving antiretroviral therapy. The treatment regime currently constitutes drugs that have the capability to concentrate in the genital tract of both males and females, as well as the use of integrase inhibitors that rapidly reduce viral load.

Incidence and Risk Factors for Venous Thrombosis in Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) Infection, Data from the Dutch Athena Cohort Study

Incidence and Risk Factors for Venous Thrombosis in Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) Infection, Data from the Dutch Athena Cohort Study

Evaluation of Serum Creatinine Changes With Integrase Inhibitor Use in Human Immunodeficiency Virus-1 Infected Adults

This retrospective chart review evaluated changes in serum creatinine and creatinine clearance (CrCl) after initiation of an integrase inhibitor (INSTI)-based regimen as initial treatment in human immunodeficiency virus-infected adults. Serum creatinine and CrCl changes were similar to those seen in clinical trials for INSTIs. No renal-related serious adverse events or discontinuations occurred.

Lack of integrase inhibitors associated resistance mutations among HIV-1C isolates.

BackgroundAlthough biochemical analysis of HIV-1 integrase enzyme suggested the use of integrase inhibitors (INIs) against HIV-1C, different viral subtypes may favor different mutational pathways potentially leading to varying levels of drug resistance. Thus, the aim of this study was to search for the occurrence and natural evolution of integrase polymorphisms and/or resistance mutations in HIV-1C Ethiopian clinical isolates prior to the introduction of INIs.MethodsPlasma samples from chronically infected drug naïve patients (N = 45), of whom the PR and RT sequence was determined previously, were used to generate population based sequences of HIV-1 integrase. HIV-1 subtype was determined using the REGA HIV-1 subtyping tool. Resistance mutations were interpreted according to the Stanford HIV drug resistance database (http://hivdb.stanford.edu) and the updated International Antiviral Society (IAS)-USA mutation lists. Moreover, rates of polymorphisms in the current isolates were compared with South African and global HIV-1C isolates.ResultsAll subjects were infected with HIV-1C concordant to the protease (PR) and reverse transcriptase (RT) regions. Neither major resistance-associated IN mutations (T66I/A/K, E92Q/G, T97A, Y143HCR, S147G, Q148H/R/K, and N155H) nor silent mutations known to change the genetic barrier were observed. Moreover, the DDE-catalytic motif (D64G/D116G/E152 K) and signature HHCC zinc-binding motifs at codon 12, 16, 40 and 43 were found to be highly conserved. However, compared to other South African subtype C isolates, the rate of polymorphism was variable at various positions.ConclusionAlthough the sample size is small, the findings suggest that this drug class could be effective in Ethiopia and other southern African countries where HIV-1C is predominantly circulating. The data will contribute to define the importance of integrase polymorphism and to improve resistance interpretation algorithms in HIV-1C isolates.

Use of Integrase Inhibitors in HIV-Infected Children and Adolescents.

Resistance to antiretroviral drugs is an increasingly prevalent challenge affecting both the adult and pediatric HIV-infected populations. Though data on the safety, pharmacokinetics, and efficacy of newer antiretroviral agents in children typically lags behind adult data, newer agents are becoming available for use in HIV-infected children who are failing to respond to or are experiencing toxicities with traditional antiretroviral regimens. Integrase strand transfer inhibitors are one such new class of antiretrovirals. Raltegravir has been US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved for use in patients over the age of 4 weeks. Elvitegravir is a second member of this class, and has the potential for use in children but does not yet have a Pediatric FDA indication. Dolutegravir, a second-generation integrase inhibitor, is approved for those older than 12 years. This review summarizes the use of integrase inhibitors in children and adolescents, and highlights the results of recent clinical trials.

Cross-clade simultaneous HIV drug resistance genotyping for reverse transcriptase, protease, and integrase inhibitor mutations by Illumina MiSeq.

BackgroundViral resistance to antiretroviral therapy threatens our best methods to control and prevent HIV infection. Current drug resistance genotyping methods are costly, optimized for subtype B virus, and primarily detect resistance mutations to protease and reverse transcriptase inhibitors. With the increasing use of integrase inhibitors in first-line therapies, monitoring for integrase inhibitor drug resistance mutations is a priority. We designed a universal primer pair to PCR amplify all major group M HIV-1 viruses for genotyping using Illumina MiSeq to simultaneously detect drug resistance mutations associated with protease, nucleoside reverse transcriptase, non-nucleoside reverse transcriptase, and integrase inhibitors.ResultsA universal primer pair targeting the HIV pol gene was used to successfully PCR amplify HIV isolates representing subtypes A, B, C, D, CRF01_AE and CRF02_AG. The universal primers were then tested on 62 samples from a US cohort of injection drug users failing treatment after release from prison. 94% of the samples were successfully genotyped for known drug resistance mutations in the protease, reverse transcriptase and integrase gene products. Control experiments demonstrate that mutations present at ≥ 2% frequency are reliably detected and above the threshold of error for this method. New drug resistance mutations not found in the baseline sample were identified in 54% of the patient samples after treatment failure. 86% of patients with major drug resistance mutations had 1 or more mutations associated with drug resistance to the treatment regimen at the time point of treatment failure. 59% of the emerging mutations were found at frequencies between 2% and 20% of the total sequences generated, below the estimated limit of detection of current FDA-approved genotyping techniques. Primary plasma samples with viral loads as low as 799 copies/ml were successfully genotyped using this method.ConclusionsHere we present an Illumina MiSeq-based HIV drug resistance genotyping assay. Our data suggests that this universal assay works across all major group M HIV-1 subtypes and identifies all drug resistance mutations in the pol gene known to confer resistance to protease, reverse transcriptase and integrase inhibitors. This high-throughput and sensitive assay could significantly improve access to drug resistance genotyping worldwide.Electronic supplementary materialThe online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s12977-014-0122-8) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

The role of baseline HIV-1 RNA, drug resistance, and regimen type as determinants of response to first-line antiretroviral therapy.

The factors influencing virological response to first-line combined antiretroviral therapy (cART) in an Italian cohort of HIV-1-infected patients were examined. Eligible patients were those enrolled in a national prospective observational cohort (Antiretroviral Resistance Cohort Analysis), starting first-line cART between 2001 and 2011 and who had at least one follow-up of HIV-1 RNA. The primary endpoint was virological success, defined as the first viral load <50 copies/ml. Time to events were analyzed by Kaplan-Meier analysis and Cox proportional hazard model. One thousand three hundred five patients met the study inclusion criteria. In a multivariable model adjusting for transmission mode, presence of transmitted drug resistance, baseline CD4(+) cell count, viral subtype, and type of NRTI backbone employed, independent predictors of virological success were higher baseline viral load (≥500,000 vs. <100,000 HR 0.52; P < 0.001), a weighted genotypic susceptibility score (wGSS) <3 (HR 0.58; P = 0.003), male sex (HR 0.76 P = 0.001), and type of initial third drug employed (integrase inhibitor vs. boosted protease inhibitors HR 3.23; P < 0.001). In the subset with HIV-1 RNA >100,000 copies/ml, virologic success was only associated with the use of integrase inhibitors in the first cART regimen. Independent predictors of immunological success were baseline CD4(+) cell count and wGSS <3. High baseline HIV-1 RNA, predicted activity of the first-line regimen based on genotypic resistance testing, gender, and use of new agents were found to predict time to achieve virological success. The type of initial nucleoside analog backbone was not found to predict virological response.

High incidence of delayed graft function in HIV-infected kidney transplant recipients

Kidney transplantation (KT) outcomes in human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-infected recipients are under continuous research. High incidence of early post-transplant complications such as acute rejection has been observed. A multicenter study including HIV-infected patients who underwent KT in Spain, from 2001 to 2011, was performed. The study population included 108 recipients, 36 HIV-infected, and 72 matched HIV-negative KT recipients. HIV-infected recipients developed more delayed graft function (DGF) (52% vs. 21%, P < 0.001). One- and 3-year graft survival was 91.6% and 86.2% in HIV-infected patients, and 97.1% and 94.7% in HIV-negative patients (P = 0.052). In two-variate Cox analysis, HIV infection was not a predictor of graft loss after adjusting for time on dialysis, acute rejection, and DGF. Multivariate analysis for DGF revealed HIV-positive status as independent risk factor. We analyzed the evolution of immunosuppressive and antiretroviral therapy (ART). In HIV-infected patients tacrolimus trough levels were very high in the first week and significantly lower in the second week post-transplant (P = 0.042). Post-transplant ART was significantly changed: protease inhibitors use decreased (P = 0.034) and integrase inhibitor use increased (P < 0.001). DGF is another frequent early complication in HIV-infected recipients that can affect graft survival. Strategies to prevent DGF and antiretroviral regimes with less drug interactions could improve outcomes.