[A decade of antiretroviral therapy: a profile of patients with 10 years of highly effective triple therapy].

INTRODUCTION: Highly effective antiretroviral triple therapy (TAR3) has led to a significant increase in survival of patients (pts) infected with human immunodeficiency virus. In 1999 it was started in the Chilean public health system, including Arriarán Foundation (FA) access to TAR, reaching full coverage since 2003. By October 31, 2009 124 pts had reached 10 years of uninterrupted TAR3 in FA.
OBJECTIVE: To describe and analyze the profile of pts, their therapeutic regimen (s) and clinical outcomes during 10 years of TAR3.
METHODS: Retrospective descriptive study. We reviewed the records of pts who had reached 10 years of uninterrupted TAR3 in FA. Demographic data, baseline and virological staging at start of TAR3, comorbidities and complications were recorded. Drug regimens used were analyzed, as well as toxicity, virological and immunological outcomes, frequency and reasons for change in therapy. Complications were classified as opportunistic and not opportunistic during this evolution and the latest known clinical and laboratory data were registered. A database program based on Excel was used.
RESULTS: 121/124 pts were available for analysis, 76.8% male, male-female ratio was 3.3:1. Baseline median age: 36 years (20-69); CD4 cells 176/ mm³ (8-1,224) with 65.3% < 200; median viral load (STL): 60,078 copies/ml (1,100- 7,900,000); 36.3% were in clinical AIDS stage. Patients received an average of 3.5 therapies regimens during the decade (range, 1 [14 pts, 11.5%] to 7 [3 pts, 2.4%]), with average duration of 42 months each and a median of 36 months. As initial TAR3 regimen 2 backbone nucleoside analogues (ITRN) was the most frequent, with a protease inhibitor (PI) in 51.2% and non-nucleoside RTIs (NNRTIs) in 38.8%. Adverse reactions were the main reason for change of therapy (24.7%), followed by virological failure (24.2%) and treatment simplification (16.6%). At the latest assessment, all with > 10 years of TAR3 median CD4 was 602 cells/mm³, 11 pts (9%) had CD4 < 200/mm³; 85.2% had undetectable VL (< 80 copies/mL); the remaining 14.8% had a median of 1,800 copies/mL. Only 2 pts (1.7%) were in AIDS clinical stage. Current regimens were 2 NRTI plus 1 NNRTI in 61 pts (50.4%), 2 or more NRTI plus 1 PI in 46 (38%). Seventy two pts (60.3%) had chronic comorbidities at latest follow up. Dyslipidemia, hypertension, diabetes mellitus and renal failure were the most frequent conditions; 17 pts (14%) had clinical lipodystrophy secondary to TAR.
CONCLUSION: Achieving a decade of TAR is already a reality and in the short term will be routine. This is rarely achieved with the initial therapeutic regimen. The major obstacles to prolonged maintenance of a single therapeutic regimen have been adverse effects and virological failure, although current drugs with better efficacy and safety profile may allow longer use for each regimen. Despite the difficulty of treating these pts, they can achieve long-term survival with good virologic control, immune recovery and absence of opportunistic complications associated with HIV infection. Nonetheless, the high frequency of non opportunistic chronic comorbidities and antiretroviral therapy side effects after prolonged or life-long use is becoming a major issue.