Newer HIV regimens are typically taken once daily but vary in the number of pills required. Whether the number of pills in a once-daily HIV regimen affects clinical outcomes is unknown. We retrospectively compared adherence, retention in care, and virologic outcomes between patients starting a once daily single-tablet regimen (STR) to patients starting a once-daily multi-tablet regimen (MTR) in a publicly funded clinic in the United States. Outcomes were measured in the year after starting ART and included retention in care, virologic suppression, and medication possession ratio of at least 80%. Data from patients initiating therapy from 1 January 2008 to 31 December 2011 were analyzed with both unadjusted and propensity-score adjusted regression. Overall, 622 patients started with an STR (100% efavirenz-based) and 406 with an MTR (65% atazanavir-based and 35% darunavir-based) regimen. Retention in care was achieved in 80.7% of STR patients vs. 72.7% of MTR patients (unadjusted OR 1.57, 95% CI 1.17-2.11; adjusted OR 1.49, 95% CI 1.10-2.02). Virologic suppression occurred among 84.4% of STR patients vs. 77.6% of MTR patients (unadjusted OR 1.56; 95% CI 1.14-2.15; adjusted OR 1.41; 95% CI 1.02-1.96). There was no difference in the proportion of patients achieving at least 80% adherence, as measured by medication possession ratio (33.0% of STR patients and 30.1% of MTR patients; unadjusted OR 1.14; 95% CI 0.87-1.50; adjusted OR 1.04, CI 0.79-1.38). While it is difficult to eliminate confounding in this observational study, retention in care and virologic outcomes were better in patients prescribed STRs.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.
hi@scite.ai
10624 S. Eastern Ave., Ste. A-614
Henderson, NV 89052, USA
Copyright © 2024 scite LLC. All rights reserved.
Made with 💙 for researchers
Part of the Research Solutions Family.