Background Non-nucleoside reverse transcriptase (NNRTI) inhibitor-based antiretroviral therapy is not suitable for all treatment-naïve HIV-infected persons. Objective Perform a rigorous evaluation of three NNRTI-sparing initial antiretroviral regimens to demonstrate equivalence for virologic efficacy and tolerability. Design Phase-III, 1:1:1 randomized, open label, >96 week study. Setting Fifty-seven sites in United States and Puerto Rico. Patients Treatment naïve, ≥18 years, HIV-1 RNA >1000 copies/mL, no nucleoside reverse transcriptase or protease inhibitor resistance. Intervention Atazanavir 300 mg with ritonavir 100 mg, daily; or raltegravir 400 mg twice daily; or darunavir 800 mg with ritonavir 100 mg, daily; plus emtricitabine 200 mg + tenofovir disoproxil fumarate 300 mg daily. Measurements Virologic failure defined as confirmed HIV-1 RNA >1000 copies/mL between 16 and 24 weeks, or >200 copies/mL at or after 24 weeks; tolerability failure defined as discontinuation of atazanavir, raltegravir or darunavir for toxicity. A secondary endpoint was a combination of virologic efficacy and tolerability. Results Among 1,809 participants all pairwise comparisons of incidence of virologic failure over 96-weeks demonstrated equivalence within ±10%. Raltegravir and ritonavir-boosted darunavir were equivalent for tolerability, whereas ritonavir-boosted atazanavir resulted in a 12.7% and a 9.2% higher incidence of tolerability discontinuation than raltegravir and ritonavir-boosted darunavir respectively, primarily due to hyperbilirubinemia. For combined virologic efficacy and tolerability ritonavir-boosted darunavir was superior to ritonavir-boosted atazanavir, and raltegravir was superior to both protease inhibitors. Antiretroviral resistance at time of virologic failure was rare but more likely with raltegravir. Limitations Open label; ritonavir not provided Conclusions Over 2 years all three regimens attain high and equivalent rates of virologic control. Regimens containing raltegravir or ritonavir-boosted darunavir have superior tolerability compared to the ritonavir-boosted atazanavir regimen. Primary Funding Source National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases

NCT 00811954.

ObjectivesAntiretroviral therapy during pregnancy is recommended to reduce the risk of mother-to-child transmission of HIV and for maternal care management. Physiological changes during pregnancy can affect pharmacokinetics, potentially altering pharmacological activity. We therefore evaluated the pharmacokinetics of twice-daily (bid) darunavir in HIV-1-infected pregnant women.MethodsHIV-1-infected pregnant women receiving an antiretroviral regimen containing darunavir/ritonavir 600/100 mg bid were enrolled in this study. Total and unbound darunavir and total ritonavir plasma concentrations were obtained over 12 h during the second and third trimesters and postpartum. Total darunavir and ritonavir plasma concentrations were determined using a validated high-performance liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry assay and unbound darunavir was determined using 14C-darunavir-fortified plasma. Pharmacokinetic parameters were derived using noncompartmental analysis.ResultsData were available for 14 women. The area under the plasma concentration–time curve from 0 to 12 h (AUC12h) for total darunavir was 17–24% lower during pregnancy than postpartum. The AUC12h for unbound darunavir was minimally reduced during pregnancy vs. postpartum. The minimum plasma concentration (Cmin) of total and unbound darunavir was on average 43–86% and 10–14% higher, respectively, during pregnancy vs. postpartum. The antiviral response (< 50 HIV-1 RNA copies/mL) was 33% at baseline and increased to 73–90% during treatment; the percentage CD4 count increased over time. One serious adverse event was reported (increased transaminase). All 12 infants born to women remaining in the study at delivery were HIV-1-negative; four of these infants were premature.ConclusionsTotal darunavir exposure decreased during pregnancy. No clinically relevant change in unbound (active) darunavir occurred during pregnancy, suggesting that no dose adjustment is required for darunavir/ritonavir 600/100 mg bid in pregnant women.

NCT01400412.

BackgroundThe Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends routine HIV testing in all healthcare settings, but it is unclear how consistently physicians adopt the recommendation. Making the most of each interaction between black physicians and their patients is extremely important to address the HIV health disparities that disproportionately afflict the black community. The goal of this survey-based study was to evaluate the perceptions and practices of black, primary care physicians regarding HIV testing.MethodsA physician survey was administered at the 2010 National Medical Association Annual Convention, via online physician panels, and by email. Physician eligibility criteria: black race; practicing at least 1 year in the US; practice comprised of at least 60% adults and 20% black patients. Contingency tables and ordinary least squares regression were used for comparisons and statistical analyses. A Chi-square test compared percentages of physicians who gave a particular response and a t-test compared the means of values provided by physicians.ResultsPhysicians over-estimated HIV prevalence and believed that HIV is a crisis in the black community, yet reported that only 34% of patients were HIV tested in the past year. Physicians reported that 67% of those patients tested did so due to a physician recommendation. Physicians who were younger, female, obstetricians/gynecologists, and had a higher proportion of black, low-socioeconomic status, and Medicaid patients reported higher testing rates. Most testing was risk-based rather than routine, and three of the five most commonly reported barriers to testing were related to disease stigma and perceived value judgments. Physicians reported that in-office patient informational materials, increased media attention, additional education and training on HIV testing, government mandates requiring routine testing, and accurate pre-packed tests would most help them test more frequently for HIV.ConclusionsIn this sample of black, primary care physicians, HIV testing practices differed according to physician characteristics and practice demographics, and overall reported testing rates were low. More physician education and training around testing guidelines is needed to enable more routine testing, treatment, and long-term management of patients with HIV.