Effect of Monotherapy with Darunavir/Ritonavir on Viral Load in Seminal Fluid, and Quality Parameters of Semen in HIV-1-Positive Patients

PLoS One. 2016 Jul 21;11(7):e0159305. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0159305. eCollection 2016.

Abstract

Patients with human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) who receive antiretroviral therapy (ART) often achieve increased survival and improved quality of life. In this respect, monotherapy with darunavir/ritonavir (mDRV/r) can be a useful treatment strategy. This prospective study analyses the effect of mDRV/r on sperm quality and viral load in a group of 28 patients who had previously been given conventional ART and who had recorded a viral load <20 copies/mL for at least six months. These patients were given mDRV/r at a dose of 800/100 mg for 48 weeks. At baseline (V0), CD4, CD8, FSH, LH and testosterone levels were measured, together with HIV-1 viral load in plasma and semen. In addition, seminal fluid quality was studied before mDRV/r treatment was prescribed. At week 48 (V1), HIV-1 viral load in plasma and semen and the quality of the seminal fluid were again measured. The results obtained indicate that at V0, 10% of the patients with ART had a positive viral load in seminal fluid (>20 copies/ml), and that at V1, after mDRV/r treatment, this figure had fallen to 3%. The quality of seminal fluid was close to normal in 57% of patients at V0 and in 62% at V1. We conclude that, similar to ART, mDRV/r maintains HIV-1 viral load in most patients, and that there is no worsening in seminal fluid quality.

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Antiretroviral Therapy, Highly Active
  • Darunavir / pharmacology
  • Darunavir / therapeutic use*
  • Drug Therapy, Combination
  • HIV Infections / drug therapy*
  • HIV Infections / virology*
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Ritonavir / pharmacology
  • Ritonavir / therapeutic use*
  • Semen / drug effects
  • Semen / virology*
  • Viral Load / drug effects

Substances

  • Ritonavir
  • Darunavir

Grants and funding

The authors received no specific funding for this work.