Antiretroviral drugs for prevention of mother-to-child transmission: pharmacologic considerations for a public health approach

OBJECTIVE

Efavirenz-based antiretroviral therapy is recommended for prevention of mother-to-child transmission of HIV with two programmatic options: lifelong therapy for all women or treatment until cessation of breastfeeding. However, the risk of HIV resistance emerging after discontinuing efavirenz-based antiretroviral therapy is unclear. We review present knowledge surrounding the emergence of resistance after stopping efavirenz-based antiretroviral regimens.

DESIGN

An expert review.

METHODS

A literature review was conducted to identify studies assessing risk for emergence of efavirenz-related resistance following discontinuation of efavirenz-based antiretroviral regimens containing either lamivudine and zidovudine or tenofovir disoproxil fumarate and lamivudine. Discontinuation strategies including the use of 'pharmacologic tails' are discussed in the light of what is known about the pharmacology of the drugs.

RESULTS

We found no head-to-head comparisons between zidovudine, lamivudine and efavirenz and tenofovir disoproxil fumarate, lamivudine and efavirenz. The risk for HIV resistance exists, even with a 5-7 day tail of zidovudine and lamivudine. For tenofovir disoproxil fumarate, lamivudine and efavirenz, we found no clinical data to inform a recommendation for a tail.

CONCLUSION

In order to prevent emergence of resistance, a tail of at least 2 weeks in duration may be required when discontinuing efavirenz in a regimen containing zidovudine and lamivudine. Studies are needed to characterize the risk of resistance among women who discontinue tenofovir disoproxil fumarate, lamivudine and efavirenz.

Prevalence of HIV type-1 drug-associated mutations in pre-therapy patients in the Free State, South Africa

BACKGROUND

We aimed to characterize the molecular epidemiology of HIV type-1 (HIV-1) and the prevalence of drug-associated mutations prior to initiating highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) in the Free State province, South Africa. The Free State has a population of 3 million, an antenatal HIV prevalence of approximately 34% and a well established infrastucture for antiretroviral (ARV) provision.

METHODS

HIV-1 polymerase genes were sequenced from 425 HAART-naive HIV-1-positive patients at voluntary primary healthcare HIV testing centres, who were subsequently attending district centres for assessment for commencing ARVs. Patients (>18 years) were sampled randomly with no exclusion for gender or clinical criteria. Sequences were analysed according to phylogeny and drug resistance.

RESULTS

Phylogenetic clustering within the cohort was suggestive of multiple introductions of subtype C virus into the region. Drug resistance mutations (according to the International AIDS Society-USA classification) were distributed randomly across the cohort phylogeny with an overall prevalence of 2.3% in the sampled patients. When stratified according to CD4(+) T-cell count, the prevalence of resistance was 3.6%, 0.9% and 1.2% for CD4(+) T-cell counts <100, 200-350 and >500 cells/microl, respectively, and was most common for non-nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitor resistance (3.1% in patients with CD4(+) T-cell count <100 cells/microl). We surveyed all drug-selected mutations and found further significant clustering among patients with low CD4(+) T-cell counts (P=0.003), suggesting unrecognized exposure to ARVs.

CONCLUSIONS

In the Free State population, there was a statistical association between low CD4(+) T-cell counts and drug-associated viral polymorphisms. Our data advocate the benefit of detailed history taking from patients starting HAART at low CD4(+) T-cell counts with close follow-up of the virological response.