Second-line protease inhibitor-based highly active antiretroviral therapy after failing non-nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors-based regimens in Asian HIV-infected children

Background—The WHO recommends boosted protease inhibitor (bPI)-based highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) after failing non-nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitor (NNRTI) treatment. We examined outcomes of this regimen in Asian HIV-infected children. Methods—Children from five Asian countries in the TREAT Asia Pediatric HIV Observational Database (TApHOD) with ≥24 weeks of NNRTI-based HAART followed by ≥24 weeks of bPIbased HAART were eligible. Primary outcomes were the proportions with virologic suppression (HIV-RNA <400 copies/ml) and immune recovery (CD4% ≥25% if age <5 years and CD4 count ≥500 cells/mm3 if age ≥5 years) at 48 and 96 weeks. Results—Of 3422 children, 153 were eligible; 52% were female. At switch, median age was 10 years, 26% were in WHO stage 4. Median weight-for-age z-score (WAZ) was −1.9 (n=121), CD4% was 12.5% (n=106), CD4 count was 237 (n=112) cells/mm3, and HIV-RNA was 4.6 log10copies/ml (n=61). The most common PI was lopinavir/ritonavir (83%). At 48 weeks, 61% (79/129) had immune recovery, 60% (26/43) had undetectable HIV-RNA and 73% (58/79) had fasting triglycerides ≥130mg/dl. By 96 weeks, 70% (57/82) achieved immune recovery, 65% (17/26) virologic suppression, and hypertriglyceridemia occurred in 66% (33/50). Predictors for virologic suppression at week 48 were longer duration of NNRTI-based HAART (p=0.006), younger age (p=0.007), higher WAZ (p=0.020), and HIV-RNA at switch <10,000 copies/ml (p=0.049). Conclusion—In this regional cohort of Asian children on bPI-based second-line HAART, 60% of children tested had immune recovery by one year, and two-thirds had hyperlipidemia, highlighting difficulties in optimizing second-line HAART with limited drug options.