Objectives: To analyze the efficacy and safety of dolutegravir/rilpivirine (DTG/RPV) in HIV-infected patients who switched from any other antiretroviral therapy (ART).
Methods: Open-label, multicenter study including patients who switched to DTG/RPV between February 2015 and February 2016. Efficacy (HIV RNA <50 copies/mL), adverse events, and metabolic changes at 24 weeks were analyzed.
Results: A total of 104 participants were included, who switched for the following reasons: toxicity/intolerance (42.3%), convenience (27.8%), and drug interactions (17.3%). Prior regimens are protease inhibitor (56.7%), integrase strand transfer inhibitor (26.9%), and non-nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitor (16.3%). Efficacy at 24 weeks was 88.4% (intention to treat) and 96.8% (per protocol). Triglyceride levels were reduced, on average, by 12.7% and a mean decrease of 9.0% in the glomerular filtration rate was observed as well ( P values of .003 and .002, respectively), whereas total cholesterol, HDL cholesterol, LDL cholesterol, creatinine, and glutamic-pyruvic transaminase remained unchanged. No patient discontinued due to adverse events.
Conclusions: Dolutegravir/RPV is effective and safe in long-term HIV-infected patients under any prior ART. Toxicity, convenience, and interactions were the main reasons for changing. At 24 weeks, the lipid profile improved with a decrease in triglycerides.
Keywords: ART switching; dolutegravir/rilpivirine; efficacy; lipid profile improvement; safety.