Adverse drug reactions in SARS-CoV-2 hospitalised patients: a case-series with a focus on drug-drug interactions

Due to the need of early and emergency effective treatments for COVID-19, less attention may have been paid to their safety during the global emergency. In addition, characteristics of drug-drug interaction (DDI)-related adverse drug reactions (ADRs) in COVID-19 patients have not yet been studied in depth. The aim of the present case-series study is to describe clinical and pharmacological characteristics of SARS-CoV-2 hospitalised patients, focusing on ADRs, particularly those related to DDIs. We evaluated all reports of COVID-19 medication-related ADRs collected within the COVID-19 Units of Careggi University Hospital, Florence (Italy), between January 1st and 31st May 2020. Information regarding COVID-19 medications, patients' demographic and clinical characteristics, concomitant drugs, ADRs description and outcome, were collected. Each case was evaluated for the causality assessment and to identify the presence of DDIs. During the study period, 23 Caucasian patients (56.5% males, mean age 76.1 years) experienced one or more ADRs. The majority of them were exposed to polypharmacy and 17.4% presented comorbidities. ADRs were referred to cardiovascular, psychiatric and gastrointestinal disorders. The most frequently reported preferred term was QT prolongation (mean QT interval 496.1 ms). ADRs improved or resolved completely in 60.8% of cases. For all patients, a case-by-case evaluation revealed the presence of one or more DDIs, especially those related to pharmacokinetic interactions. Despite the small number of patients, our evidence underline the clinical burden of DDIs in SARS-CoV-2 hospitalised patients and the risk of unexpected and uncommon psychiatric ADRs.

Development of darunavir over the entire spectrum of HIV infection

Darunavir is the gold standard protease inhibitor in antiretroviral treatment. It has undergone complete development through randomised clinical trials throughout the entire spectrum of HIV infection, with 2 different dosages and clear indications of when to use each one of them. It has been studied in mono, dual and triple therapy. It can also be administered boosted with either ritonavir or cobicistat. The data indicate that it is the antiretroviral with the greatest barrier against resistance development and that it is the drug with the longest residence time bound to its receptor (protease), thus having the longest dissociation time. Its limited impact on selected mutations in the protease by other inhibitors and its high barrier against resistance have resulted in its widespread commercial use being associated with a steady decrease in the mutations circulating in the protease having an impact on its activity. Supplement information: This article is part of a supplement entitled "Co-formulated cobicistat-boosted darunavir, emtricitabine, and tenofovir alafenamide for the treatment of HIV infection", which is sponsored by Janssen.

A mixed methods approach to adapting and evaluating the functional assessment of HIV infection (FAHI), Swahili version, for use with low literacy populations

BACKGROUND

Despite bearing the largest HIV-related burden, little is known of the Health-Related Quality of Life (HRQoL) among people living with HIV in sub-Saharan Africa. One of the factors contributing to this gap in knowledge is the lack of culturally adapted and validated measures of HRQoL that are relevant for this setting.

AIMS

We set out to adapt the Functional Assessment of HIV Infection (FAHI) Questionnaire, an HIV-specific measure of HRQoL, and evaluate its internal consistency and validity.

METHODS

The three phase mixed-methods study took place in a rural setting at the Kenyan Coast. Phase one involved a scoping review to describe the evidence base of the reliability and validity of FAHI as well as the geographical contexts in which it has been administered. Phase two involved in-depth interviews (n = 38) to explore the content validity, and initial piloting for face validation of the adapted FAHI. Phase three was quantitative (n = 103) and evaluated the internal consistency, convergent and construct validities of the adapted interviewer-administered questionnaire.

RESULTS

In the first phase of the study, we identified 16 studies that have used the FAHI. Most (82%) were conducted in North America. Only seven (44%) of the reviewed studies reported on the psychometric properties of the FAHI. In the second phase, most of the participants (37 out of 38) reported satisfaction with word clarity and content coverage whereas 34 (89%) reported satisfaction with relevance of the items, confirming the face validity of the adapted questionnaire during initial piloting. Our participants indicated that HIV impacted on their physical, functional, emotional, and social wellbeing. Their responses overlapped with items in four of the five subscales of the FAHI Questionnaire establishing its content validity. In the third phase, the internal consistency of the scale was found to be satisfactory with subscale Cronbach's α ranging from 0.55 to 0.78. The construct and convergent validity of the tool were supported by acceptable factor loadings for most of the items on the respective sub-scales and confirmation of expected significant correlations of the FAHI subscale scores with scores of a measure of common mental disorders.

CONCLUSION

The adapted interviewer-administered Swahili version of FAHI questionnaire showed initial strong evidence of good psychometric properties with satisfactory internal consistency and acceptable validity (content, face, and convergent validity). It gives impetus for further validation work, especially construct validity, in similar settings before it can be used for research and clinical purposes in the entire East African region.

Efficacy of protease inhibitor monotherapy vs. triple therapy: meta-analysis of data from 2303 patients in 13 randomized trials

OBJECTIVES

The aim of this analysis was to review the evidence and update a meta-analysis evaluating the efficacy and safety results from randomized controlled trials of ritonavir-boosted protease inhibitor (PI/r) monotherapy.

METHODS

A PubMed/EMBASE search was conducted to find randomized trials of PI/r monotherapy vs. triple therapy in patients with HIV-1 RNA suppression at baseline (<50 HIV-1 RNA copies/mL). Rates of virological suppression were analysed using switch-equals-failure and intensification-included endpoints [intent-to-treat (ITT)]. The rate of treatment-emergent resistance mutations, neurocognitive function endpoints, and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) HIV-1 RNA were also analysed by treatment arm.

RESULTS

There were 2303 patients from 13 different randomized clinical trials of darunavir/r monotherapy (n = 784: MONET, MONOI, Monarch and PROTEA), lopinavir/r monotherapy (n = 829: OK pilot, OK-04, KalMo, KALESOLO, KRETA, MOST and DREAM), atazanavir/r monotherapy (n = 103: MODAT), or all three (n = 587: PIVOT). HIV-1 RNA plasma suppression was lower in the PI/r monotherapy arm compared with the triple therapy arm in the switch-equals-failure analysis [difference -8.3%; 95% confidence interval (CI) -11.9 to -4.8%], but not when intensification was included (difference 0.5%; 95% CI -2.5 to 3.6%). Rates of resistance mutations were similar between arms, as was overall neurocognitive function.

CONCLUSIONS

PI/r monotherapy showed a higher risk of plasma HIV-1 RNA elevations. However, there was no increased risk of treatment-emergent drug resistance, neurocognitive endpoints did not differ, and HIV-1 RNA suppression rates after intensification were similar between PI/r monotherapy and triple therapy.

Week 48 efficacy and central nervous system analysis of darunavir/ritonavir monotherapy versus darunavir/ritonavir with two nucleoside analogues

BACKGROUND

In previous studies in virologically suppressed patients, protease inhibitor monotherapy has shown trends for more low-level elevations in HIV-1 RNA compared with triple therapy, but no increase in the risk of drug resistance.

METHODS

A total of 273 patients with HIV-1 RNA less than 50 copies/ml on first-line antiretrovirals switched to darunavir/ritonavir (DRV/r) 800/100 mg once daily, either as monotherapy (n = 137) or as triple therapy with two nucleoside analogues (n = 136). Treatment failure was defined as HIV-1 RNA levels 50 copies/ml or above, or discontinuation of study treatment by week 48 (FDA Snapshot algorithm).

RESULTS

Patients were 83% male and 88% white, with mean age 42 years. In the primary efficacy analysis, HIV-1 RNA less than 50 copies/ml by week 48 [intention-to-treat (ITT)] was 118 of 137 (86%) in the DRV/r monotherapy arm versus 129 of 136 (95%) in the triple therapy arm (difference = -8.7%, 95% confidence interval -15.50, -1.80). In a post-hoc analysis, for patients with nadir CD4 cell count 200 cells/μl or above, rates of HIV-1 RNA suppression were 91 of 96 (95%) in the DRV/r monotherapy arm and 100 of 106 (94%) in the triple therapy arm. There was no difference in neurocognitive function or the risk of neuropsychiatric adverse events between DRV/r monotherapy and triple therapy. Two patients in the monotherapy arm with CD4 nadir less than 200 cells/μl developed viraemia in both cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) and plasma, with one symptomatic case.

CONCLUSIONS

In this study for patients with HIV-1 RNA less than 50 copies/ml at baseline, switching to DRV/r monotherapy showed lower efficacy versus triple therapy at week 48 in the primary ITT switch equals failure analysis, with two cases of viraemia in the CSF in the protease inhibitor monotherapy arm.

CSF penetration by antiretroviral drugs

Severe HIV-associated neurocognitive disorders (HAND), such as HIV-associated dementia, and opportunistic CNS infections are now rare complications of HIV infection due to comprehensive highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART). By contrast, mild to moderate neurocognitive disorders remain prevalent, despite good viral control in peripheral compartments. HIV infection seems to provoke chronic CNS injury that may evade systemic HAART. Penetration of antiretroviral drugs across the blood-brain barrier might be crucial for the treatment of HAND. This review identifies and evaluates the available clinical evidence on CSF penetration properties of antiretroviral drugs, addressing methodological issues and discussing the clinical relevance of drug concentration assessment. Although a substantial number of studies examined CSF concentrations of antiretroviral drugs, there is a need for adequate, well designed trials to provide more valid drug distribution profiles. Neuropsychological benefits and neurotoxicity of potentially CNS-active drugs require further investigation before penetration characteristics will regularly influence therapeutic strategies and outcome.

Boosted protease inhibitor monotherapy as a maintenance strategy: an observational study

OBJECTIVES

We aimed to determine the effectiveness of boosted protease inhibitor monotherapy (BPIMT) initiated as a maintenance strategy in routine care and identify predictive factors of failure.

DESIGN

Observational study in the FHDH-ANRS CO4 cohort.

METHODS

Five hundred and twenty-nine virologically suppressed individuals switched to BPIMT in the period 2006-2010, 75% had at least 12 and 49% at least 24 months of follow-up. Virological failure (two consecutive HIV-RNA > 50 copies/ml or one HIV-RNA > 50 copies/ml followed by BPIMT discontinuation) and treatment failure (virological failure, antiretroviral reintensification or death) were analysed separately.

RESULTS

At baseline, 11% were protease inhibitor-naive, median duration on combined antiretroviral therapy was 84 months and median duration of suppressed viremia was 38 months. Nine percent had a history of virological failure, while on a protease inhibitor-containing regimen, and rates of virological failure were higher among those individuals [adjusted hazard ratio, 1.6; 95% confidence interval (CI), 0.9-2.9]. Compared to individuals with less than 1 year of sustained virological suppression before the switch to BPIMT, those with longer duration were less likely to experience virological failure [hazard ratio, 0.7; (95% CI, 0.4-1.2) and 0.6 (95%CI, 0.4-0.9)] for a duration of 12-23 months and 24 months or more, respectively. Rates of failure were similar for BPIMT with lopinavir-ritonavir (RTV) or darunavir-RTV, but increased for BPIMT with atazanavir-RTV. Same risk factors were associated with treatment failure.

CONCLUSION

The safety and efficacy of a maintenance strategy with BPIMT in a routine care setting matched the results of randomized clinical trials. A longer duration since last virological rebound before switching to BPIMT was associated with a decreased risk of subsequent failure.

Protease inhibitor monotherapy and the CNS: peace of mind?

Boosted protease inhibitor (bPI) monotherapy has demonstrated high efficacy for maintaining viral suppression in the blood. bPI monotherapy has the theoretical advantage of avoiding the long-term toxicity associated with the use of nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors. Concern about the efficacy of bPI monotherapy in preventing HIV replication in the CNS is one reason that has precluded the widespread use of this therapeutic strategy. In several studies, a low CNS penetration-effectiveness (CPE) score has been associated with a higher risk of virological failure in the CNS and with neurocognitive impairment. Since the CPE score is substantially lower for bPI monotherapy than for triple-drug highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART), it has been postulated that bPI monotherapy might have a higher risk for CNS virological failure and neurocognitive impairment. However, the available evidence, although limited, does no support this notion. Lopinavir and darunavir achieve CSF drug levels that are sufficient to fully suppress HIV replication. In clinical trials, when compared with triple-drug HAART, patients receiving bPI monotherapy with lopinavir and darunavir who maintain full virological suppression in plasma do not appear to be at a higher risk of discordant HIV replication in the CSF or of neuropsychiatric adverse events. It should be noted that several studies have suggested that nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors might have neurotoxic effects and, consequently, bPI monotherapy might be able to avoid the CNS toxicity induced by nucleosides. It is clear that more studies including detailed neurocognitive testing are needed to completely establish the risk/benefit ratio of bPI monotherapy or triple-drug HAART for preserving neurocognitive function in HIV-infected patients.