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Factors associated with low-level viraemia in people with HIV starting antiretroviral therapy : A Swedish observational study

Brattgård, Hanna ; Björkman, Per LU orcid ; Nowak, Piotr ; Treutiger, Carl Johan ; Gisslén, Magnus and Elvstam, Olof LU orcid (2022) In PLoS ONE 17(5).
Abstract

OBJECTIVE: Low-level viraemia (LLV) occurs in some people with HIV (PWH) receiving antiretroviral therapy (ART) and has been linked to inferior treatment outcomes. We investigated factors associated with LLV in a nationwide cohort of Swedish PWH starting ART.

METHODS: Participants were identified from the InfCareHIV register, with the following inclusion criteria: ART initiation 2006-2017, age >15 years, ≥4 viral load (VL) results available and no documented treatment interruptions or virologic failure (≥2 consecutive VL ≥200 copies/ml) during follow-up. Starting from 6 months after ART initiation, participants were followed for 24 months and categorised as viral suppression (VS; VL <50 copies/ml) or LLV (≥2 consecutive VL... (More)

OBJECTIVE: Low-level viraemia (LLV) occurs in some people with HIV (PWH) receiving antiretroviral therapy (ART) and has been linked to inferior treatment outcomes. We investigated factors associated with LLV in a nationwide cohort of Swedish PWH starting ART.

METHODS: Participants were identified from the InfCareHIV register, with the following inclusion criteria: ART initiation 2006-2017, age >15 years, ≥4 viral load (VL) results available and no documented treatment interruptions or virologic failure (≥2 consecutive VL ≥200 copies/ml) during follow-up. Starting from 6 months after ART initiation, participants were followed for 24 months and categorised as viral suppression (VS; VL <50 copies/ml) or LLV (≥2 consecutive VL 50-199 copies/ml). We analysed the association between the following factors and LLV using multivariable logistic regression: sex, age, pre-ART VL and CD4 count, ART regimen, country of birth, HIV-1 subtype and transmission category.

RESULTS: Among 3383 participants, 3132 (92.6%) had VS and 251 (7.4%) had LLV. In univariable analyses, factors associated with LLV were male sex, higher age, lower pre-ART CD4 count, higher pre-ART VL and ART regimen. After adjustment, the following factors were associated with LLV (adjusted odds ratio; 95% confidence interval): male sex (1.6; 1.1-2.3), higher pre-ART VL (2.7; 2.2-3.3), pre-ART CD4 count <200 cells/μl (1.6; 1.2-2.2), protease inhibitor (PI)-based regimen (1.5; 1.1-2.1), non-standard ART (2.4; 1.0-5.5) and injecting drug use (2.0; 1.1-3.7).

CONCLUSION: Among Swedish PWH, LLV during ART was associated with markers of HIV disease severity before starting ART, male sex, injecting drug use and use of PI-based or non-standard ART regimens.

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author
; ; ; ; and
organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
keywords
Adolescent, Anti-HIV Agents/pharmacology, CD4 Lymphocyte Count, Female, HIV Infections/drug therapy, HIV-1, Humans, Male, Sweden/epidemiology, Viral Load, Viremia/drug therapy
in
PLoS ONE
volume
17
issue
5
article number
e0268540
pages
11 pages
publisher
Public Library of Science (PLoS)
external identifiers
  • pmid:35580115
  • scopus:85130110786
ISSN
1932-6203
DOI
10.1371/journal.pone.0268540
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
83046b27-0414-48b5-a039-bc020ced822a
date added to LUP
2022-06-21 10:15:47
date last changed
2024-06-15 00:51:58
@article{83046b27-0414-48b5-a039-bc020ced822a,
  abstract     = {{<p>OBJECTIVE: Low-level viraemia (LLV) occurs in some people with HIV (PWH) receiving antiretroviral therapy (ART) and has been linked to inferior treatment outcomes. We investigated factors associated with LLV in a nationwide cohort of Swedish PWH starting ART.</p><p>METHODS: Participants were identified from the InfCareHIV register, with the following inclusion criteria: ART initiation 2006-2017, age &gt;15 years, ≥4 viral load (VL) results available and no documented treatment interruptions or virologic failure (≥2 consecutive VL ≥200 copies/ml) during follow-up. Starting from 6 months after ART initiation, participants were followed for 24 months and categorised as viral suppression (VS; VL &lt;50 copies/ml) or LLV (≥2 consecutive VL 50-199 copies/ml). We analysed the association between the following factors and LLV using multivariable logistic regression: sex, age, pre-ART VL and CD4 count, ART regimen, country of birth, HIV-1 subtype and transmission category.</p><p>RESULTS: Among 3383 participants, 3132 (92.6%) had VS and 251 (7.4%) had LLV. In univariable analyses, factors associated with LLV were male sex, higher age, lower pre-ART CD4 count, higher pre-ART VL and ART regimen. After adjustment, the following factors were associated with LLV (adjusted odds ratio; 95% confidence interval): male sex (1.6; 1.1-2.3), higher pre-ART VL (2.7; 2.2-3.3), pre-ART CD4 count &lt;200 cells/μl (1.6; 1.2-2.2), protease inhibitor (PI)-based regimen (1.5; 1.1-2.1), non-standard ART (2.4; 1.0-5.5) and injecting drug use (2.0; 1.1-3.7).</p><p>CONCLUSION: Among Swedish PWH, LLV during ART was associated with markers of HIV disease severity before starting ART, male sex, injecting drug use and use of PI-based or non-standard ART regimens.</p>}},
  author       = {{Brattgård, Hanna and Björkman, Per and Nowak, Piotr and Treutiger, Carl Johan and Gisslén, Magnus and Elvstam, Olof}},
  issn         = {{1932-6203}},
  keywords     = {{Adolescent; Anti-HIV Agents/pharmacology; CD4 Lymphocyte Count; Female; HIV Infections/drug therapy; HIV-1; Humans; Male; Sweden/epidemiology; Viral Load; Viremia/drug therapy}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  number       = {{5}},
  publisher    = {{Public Library of Science (PLoS)}},
  series       = {{PLoS ONE}},
  title        = {{Factors associated with low-level viraemia in people with HIV starting antiretroviral therapy : A Swedish observational study}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0268540}},
  doi          = {{10.1371/journal.pone.0268540}},
  volume       = {{17}},
  year         = {{2022}},
}