Efficacy of low-dose boosted saquinavir once daily plus nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors in pregnant HIV-1-infected women with a therapeutic drug monitoring strategy

Ther Drug Monit. 2007 Apr;29(2):171-6. doi: 10.1097/FTD.0b013e31803bb54e.

Abstract

The efficacy of low-dose, ritonavir-boosted saquinavir (SQV/rtv) once daily plus 2 nucleoside retrotranscriptase inhibitors (NRTIs) in pregnant human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-1-infected women was prospectively evaluated, ensuring a SQV minimum concentration (Cmin) >/=100 ng/mL with a therapeutic drug monitoring strategy. The primary clinical endpoint was the percentage of women with an HIV-RNA viral load (VL) of <50 copies/mL at the time of delivery. Forty-nine pregnancy episodes were included, with a median CD4 count and VL of 441/muL and 3710 copies/mL, respectively. Two patients were lost to follow-up and 1 patient discontinued treatment because of abdominal discomfort. SQV levels were in excess of the target Cmin in 43 of 46 episodes (93.4%) in which the end of pregnancy was reached on 1200/100 mg daily. The dosage was increased to 1600/100 mg in the remaining 3 episodes to achieve the target levels. By an intention-to-treat analysis, VL was undetectable at delivery in 43 episodes (87.7%; 95% confidence interval, 78.5-96.9) after a median of 18 weeks of treatment (range, 3-39). In the 3 episodes remaining, VLs of 110,400 copies/mL and no available data were observed after only 3 weeks of treatment. Mild adverse events attributable to SQV/rtv occurred in 6 of 49 pregnancies (12.2%). No cases of HIV vertical transmission were observed. The pharmacokinetics, efficacy, and tolerability of this regimen suggest that once-daily low-dose boosted SQV may be considered an appropriate option in PI-naive or limited-PI-experienced HIV-infected pregnant women. Nevertheless, therapeutic drug monitoring is advisable to maintain appropriate levels throughout pregnancy.

Publication types

  • Multicenter Study

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Drug Monitoring
  • Drug Therapy, Combination
  • Female
  • HIV Infections / drug therapy*
  • HIV Infections / prevention & control
  • HIV Infections / transmission
  • HIV Protease Inhibitors / adverse effects*
  • HIV Protease Inhibitors / blood
  • HIV Protease Inhibitors / therapeutic use
  • Humans
  • Infectious Disease Transmission, Vertical / prevention & control
  • Pregnancy
  • Pregnancy Complications, Infectious / drug therapy*
  • Prospective Studies
  • Reverse Transcriptase Inhibitors / therapeutic use*
  • Ritonavir / therapeutic use
  • Saquinavir / adverse effects*
  • Saquinavir / blood
  • Saquinavir / therapeutic use
  • Viral Load

Substances

  • HIV Protease Inhibitors
  • Reverse Transcriptase Inhibitors
  • Saquinavir
  • Ritonavir