Short communication: three years follow-up of first-line antiretroviral therapy in cambodia: negative impact of prior antiretroviral treatment

AIDS Res Hum Retroviruses. 2011 Jun;27(6):597-603. doi: 10.1089/AID.2010.0125. Epub 2011 Jan 17.

Abstract

There are few long-term data on ART-experienced patients in resource-limited settings. We performed a cross-sectional study of HIV-infected patients included in the ESTHER program in Calmette hospital, Phnom Penh, Cambodia, after 36 ± 3 months of cART. Therapeutic, clinical, and immunovirological outcomes were compared between patients who stated they were ART-naive (naive group), dual nucleoside reverse-transcriptase inhibitor (two-NRTI group), or fixed-dose combination of stavudine/lamivudine/nevirapine experienced (three-drug group) at entry to the program. A logistic regression model was used to evaluate the factors associated with virological failure (PCR HIV > 250 copies/ml). Among the 256 patients included in the analysis, 148 (58%) were ART naive while 50 (20%) had previously received two NRTIs and 58 (22%) three drugs. At entry to the program, all the patients received two NRTIs and one nonnucleoside reverse-transcriptase inhibitor (NNRTI). At evaluation, 46 patients (18%) were switched to a protease inhibitor-based regimen (9%, 32%, and 29% of the naive, two-NRTI, and three-drug groups; p < 0.0001). The median CD4 cell count increase was 180/μl overall (IQR: 96-276) and was higher in ART-naive than ART-experienced patients. In the intent-to-treat analysis, virological success was achieved in 83.5%, 67%, and 69% of the naive, two-NRTI, and three-drug groups, respectively (p = 0.002). Factors associated with virological failure were suboptimal previous ART exposure and WHO immunological failure criteria. The long-term efficacy of first-line cART is maintained in Cambodia. In ART-experienced patients, viral load monitoring needs to be available to establish early virological failure and preserve the potency of second line regimens.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Anti-Retroviral Agents / administration & dosage*
  • Antiretroviral Therapy, Highly Active / methods*
  • CD4 Lymphocyte Count
  • Cambodia
  • Female
  • Follow-Up Studies
  • HIV Infections / drug therapy*
  • HIV Infections / immunology
  • HIV Infections / virology
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Risk Factors
  • Treatment Failure
  • Viral Load

Substances

  • Anti-Retroviral Agents