Selecting patients who can be re-challenged with Nevirapine in case of skin rash with Efavirenz – A Study

Abstract

Introduction and Objectives: A common adverse effect of Efavirenz (EFV) -a first line drug used in treatment of patients with HIV infections is skin rash. In case of EFV-induced skin rash, the usual practice is to switch to a Protease Inhibitor (PI), as another nonnucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitor (NNRTI) might have cross-reactivity with a higher incidence of skin rash which is often severe. The aim of the study was therefore to determine whether with careful evaluation and stratification, using predefined criteria of patients who developed rash with EFV, it might be possible to find a subset of patients among whom Nevirapine (NVP) may be safely used, sparing PIs for second-line treatment.