SARS-CoV-2 infection clinical picture and outcomes in adults living with HIV: a cohort analysis.

Existing evidence about HIV and SARS-CoV-2 co-infection has, so far, yield conflicting results. Methods: This is a cohort, single center, clinical study aimed at identifying possible characteristics of PLWH that could correlate with the risk of acquiring SARS-CoV-2 and would influence the outcome. 155 cases of SARS-CoV-2 infection were compared with 307 PLWH who tested negative. No variable was associated with an increased risk of infection. SARS-CoV-2 PLWH were completely asymptomatic in 20.6% of cases. Factors associated with severe COVID-19 were age (P=0.001), diabetes (P=0.009) hypertension (P=0.004), cardiovascular disease (P=0.001) or an increasing number of chronic co-morbidities (P=0.002); only the first two variables retained statistical significance in a multivariable model. Only older age and a lower CD4 count were statistically associated with death in the multivariate model. Sixteen PLWH not included in the analysis were infected by SARS-Cov-2 after vaccination. In 4 cases the infection was completely asymptomatic, while in the remaining 12 cases the infection was mild and resembled a flu-like syndrome. Conclusions: No baseline characteristic defines patients at greater risk of SARS-CoV-2 infection. Older age and the presence of multi-comorbidities are risk factors for a severe clinical course. Lower CD4 counts correlate with a fatal outcome.

Real World Data on Forgiveness to Uncomplete Adherence to Bictegravir/ Emtricitabine/Tenofovir Alafenamide.

Background: forgiveness is the ability of a given regimen to maintain complete viral suppression despite a documented imperfect adherence. We explored forgiveness of bictegravir/emtricitabine/tenofovir alafenamide. Methods: drug refills were used to calculate the percent day covered (PDC) as a proxy of adherence. Forgiveness was calculated as the achieved rate of a selected HIV-RNA threshold by a given level of imperfect adherence. Results: 281 adult PLWH were followed for 343 patient/years. Adherence was very high with a median of 98% (IQR 95-100%). A PDC as low as 70% was sufficient to obtain 100% and maintain virologic suppression. According to probit analysis adherence was not related to the possibility to maintain an HIV-RNA TND or < 50 copies/ml. Conclusions: Long-term success of ART needs effective regimens that are the least intrusive of the patient's lifestyle, an elevated forgiveness may be considered as an additional feature that can further improve long-term outcomes.

Osteoarthritis Pain in Old Mice Aggravates Neuroinflammation and Frailty: The Positive Effect of Morphine Treatment.

Knee osteoarthritis is a common cause of pain and disability in old subjects. Pain may predispose to the development of frailty. Studies on mechanisms underlying pain in osteoarthritis models during aging are lacking. In this work, we used the monosodium iodoacetate model of osteoarthritis in adult (11-week-old) and old (20-month-old) C57BL/6J mice to compare hypersensitivity, locomotion, neuroinflammation, and the effects of morphine treatment. After osteoarthritis induction in adult and old mice, weight-bearing asymmetry, mechanical allodynia, and thermal hyperalgesia similarly developed, while locomotion and frailty were more affected in old than in adult animals. When behavioral deficits were present, the animals were treated for 7 days with morphine. This opioid counteracts the behavioral alterations and the frailty index worsening both in adult and old mice. To address the mechanisms that underlie pain, we evaluated neuroinflammatory markers and proinflammatory cytokine expression in the sciatic nerve, DRGs, and spinal cord. Overexpression of cytokines and glia markers were present in osteoarthritis adult and old mice, but the activation was qualitatively and quantitatively more evident in aged mice. Morphine was able to counteract neuroinflammation in both age groups. We demonstrate that old mice are more vulnerable to pain's detrimental effects, but prompt treatment is successful at mitigating these effects.

Adherence to and Forgiveness of 3TC/DTG in a Real-World Cohort.

Background: adherence and forgiveness are key factors for virologic success. We evaluated them for 3TC/DTG. Methods: pharmacy refills were used to calculate the proportion of days covered (PDC). Forgiveness was calculated as the achieved rate of HIV-RNA threshold by a given level of imperfect adherence. Results: 240 PLWH were included. The median follow-up was 819 days (IQR 450-1459) for a total of 681 person/years of follow-up. Adherence was very high with a median of 99% (IQR 95%-100%). Consequently, the virologic response was sustained with 83.8% of PLWH never exceeding a HIV RNA of 50 copies/ml and 95.8% of subjects with a steadily HIV-RNA < 200 copies/ml. A PDC lower than 80% was associated with a negative outcome irrespective of the HIV-RNA threshold considered. Conclusions: The extensive virologic efficacy of 3TC/DTG demonstrated both in clinical trials and real-world experiences seems to rely more on its friendliness than on its forgiveness.

Rilpivirine plus cobicistat-boosted darunavir as alternative to standard three-drug therapy in HIV-infected, virologically suppressed subjects: Final results of the PROBE 2 trial.

BACKGROUND: Primary analysis at 24 weeks showed that switching to rilpivirine plus darunavir/cobicistat was non-inferior to continuing a standard three-drug antiretroviral regimen in virologically suppressed people with HIV. We present efficacy and safety data from the 48-week analysis. METHODS: PROBE 2 is a randomized, open-label trial. Adults who were on a three-drug therapy and had had <50 HIV-1 RNA copies/mL for at least 6 months were randomly assigned (1:1) to 25 mg rilpivirine plus 800/150 darunavir/cobicistat once daily (early switch group) or to continue their regimen for 24 weeks before switching (late switch group). In the 48-week analysis, the efficacy endpoint was the proportion of participants with <50 copies/mL of HIV-RNA (US Food and Drug Administration snapshot algorithm). The trial is registered with ClinicalTrials.gov, number NCT04064632. FINDINGS: 160 participants were recruited and randomized. At week 48, 70 (87.5%) in the early switch group and 76 (94.8%) in the late switch group maintained HIV-RNA <50 copies/mL. Virological failure (≥50 HIV-RNA copies/mL) was not seen in any patient of the early switch group and in 2 subjects in the late switch group none of which had treatment emergent resistance-associated mutation. Adverse events leading to treatment discontinuation occurred in 7 (8.7%) participants in the early switch group and in none in the late switch group. INTERPRETATION: The combination of rilpivirine plus darunavir/cobicistat sustained virological suppression, was associated with a low frequency of virological failure, and had a favorable safety profile, which support its use as a nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitor-sparing and integrase inhibitor-sparing alternative to three-drug regimens.

Lipid profile changings after switching from rilpivirine/tenofovir disoproxil fumarate/emtricitabine to rilpivirine/tenofovir alafenamide/emtricitabine: Different effects in patients with or without baseline hypercholesterolemia.

Tenofovir alafenamide (TAF) has similar efficacy compared to tenofovir disoproxil fumarate (TDF), but a less favorable effect on lipids. Aim of this retrospective multicentre study was to evaluate the impact on lipids of switching from rilpivirine (RPV)/ emtricitabine (FTC)/TDF to RPV/FTC/TAF in a cohort of HIV-1 infected patients. Total cholesterol (TC), high density lipoproteins (HDL) and low density lipoproteins (LDL) were compared at the moment of the switch and at the first following evaluation, by using paired t-test. Overall, 573 patients were considered, 99% with HIV-RNA <50 copies/ml, with mean age of 49.7 (±0.4) years and median 13.4 (6.9-22.5) years of HIV infection. In the study population with available data (431/573, 75%), mean TC changed from 173 ±1.7 to 188 ±1.8 mg/dl; mean HDL from 46 ±0.7 to 51± 0.7 mg/dl; mean LDL from 111 ±1.5 to 120 ±1.8 mg/dl (p<0.0001 for all). Neither LDL/HDL nor TC/HDL ratio changed significantly, with LDL/HDL from 2.6 ±0.5 to 2.5 ±0.5 (p = 0.12) and TC/HDL from 4.0 ±0.6 to 3.9 ±0.6 (p = 0.11). In patients with baseline diagnosis of hypercholesterolemia (TC>200 mg/dl, N = 87), there was no significant change in TC (224 ±2.2 to 228 ±3.4 mg/dl, p = 0.286) or LDL (150±2.5 to 151±3.2 mg/dl, p = 0.751), while HDL increased from 51 ±1.6 to 55 ±1.7 mg/dl (p<0.0001) and both LDL/HDL and TC/HDL ratio decreased significantly, from 3.2±0.1 to 3.0 ±0.1 (p = 0.025) and from 4.7±0.1 to 4.4 ±0.1 (p = 0.004). In this real life study, a slight increase in lipids was found after switching from RPV/FTC/TDF to RPV/FTC/TAF, but these results were not confirmed in people with hypercholesterolemia, in which lipids did not change and LDL/HDL and TC/HDL ratio decreased.

Improving the evidence for indicator condition guided HIV testing in Europe: Results from the HIDES II Study - 2012 - 2015.

BACKGROUND: It is cost-effective to perform an HIV test in people with specific indicator conditions (IC) with an undiagnosed HIV prevalence of at least 0.1%. Our aim was to determine the HIV prevalence for 14 different conditions across 20 European countries. METHODS: Individuals aged 18-65 years presenting for care with one of 14 ICs between January 2012 and June 2014 were included and routinely offered an HIV test. Logistic regression assessed factors associated with testing HIV positive. Patients presenting with infectious mononucleosis-like syndrome (IMS) were recruited up until September 2015. RESULTS: Of 10,877 patients presenting with an IC and included in the analysis, 303 tested positive (2.8%; 95% CI 2.5-3.1%). People presenting with an IC in Southern and Eastern Europe were more likely to test HIV positive as were people presenting with IMS, lymphadenopathy and leukocytopenia/ thrombocytopenia. One third of people diagnosed with HIV after presenting with IMS reported a negative HIV test in the preceding 12 months. Of patients newly diagnosed with HIV where data was available, 92.6% were promptly linked to care; of these 10.4% were reported lost to follow up or dead 12 months after diagnosis. CONCLUSION: The study showed that 10 conditions had HIV prevalences > 0.1%. These 10 ICs should be adopted into HIV testing and IC specialty guidelines. As IMS presentation can mimic acute HIV sero-conversion and has the highest positivity rate, this IC in particular affords opportunities for earlier diagnosis and public health benefit.

Post-treatment controllers after treatment interruption in chronically HIV-infected patients.

OBJECTIVE: Control HIV replication requires continuous combined antiretroviral therapy (cART) as discontinuation of cART results in a rapid viral rebound. However, a few individuals exist who took cART for several years and did not show the expected viral rebound after treatment cessation. Most post-treatment controllers (PTCs) are early treated individuals. We report three cases who started cART during chronic infection. DESIGN: Patients were treated and monitored according to Italian guidelines. For the description of cases, the percentage of CD8CD38HLA*DR cells, CD8CD38HLA*DR cells, major histocompatibility complex genotyping, total HIV-DNA and plasma levels of anti-retroviral (ARV) drugs were performed. RESULTS: Patients started therapy during chronic infection. Patient 26636 started her first ARV drug two years after diagnosis and patients 93016 and 50293 started cART with high viral loads and low CD4 cell counts. Time without cART was 13, 11 and 1.5 years, respectively. None presented any of the protective class I HLA alleles and patient 93016 has the HLA-B*35 allele that appears to be enriched in PTCs. Patients 93016 and 50293 had very low levels of CD8CD38HLA*DR cells (<5%) much lower than those of patient 26636 (27%). T-cell-associated HIV-DNA was 3.78, 3.48 and 3.13 log copies/10 CD4, respectively. CONCLUSION: Patients like ours may advance our understanding of the characteristics for which individuals may be more likely to achieve ART-free remissions. Furthermore, our patients are among the few so far described who started cART during chronic infection extending the hope that a functional cure is possible even in this setting.

Long-term efficacy of dolutegravir in treatment-experienced subjects failing therapy with HIV-1 integrase strand inhibitor-resistant virus.

OBJECTIVES: This study evaluated the virological efficacy of dolutegravir 50 mg twice daily in 190 HIV-1 failing antiretroviral-experienced patients with previous exposure to first-generation integrase strand transfer inhibitor (INSTI) over a 5 year follow-up using data from clinical practice. PATIENTS AND METHODS: This analysis included HIV-1-infected patients who were ≥18 years of age, treatment experienced, had HIV-1 RNA >50 copies/mL, with INSTI-resistant virus, who started dolutegravir 50 mg twice daily plus optimized background therapy (OBT), recorded in the national prospective database PRESTIGIO (www.progettoprestigio.it). Follow-up accrued from the start of dolutegravir 50 mg twice daily + OBT until virological failure (VF) or dolutegravir discontinuation for any reason or the last treatment visit on dolutegravir 50 mg twice daily treatment. VF was defined by the lack of achievement of HIV-1 RNA <50 copies/mL by 6 months and thereafter, or the occurrence of two consecutive HIV-1 RNA ≥50 copies/mL after achievement of undetectable viral load. RESULTS: The estimated VF probabilities were 17% (95% CI = 12%-24%), 28% (95% CI = 21%-37%), 33% (95% CI = 25%-43%), 39% (95% CI = 29%-51%) and 52% (95% CI = 39%-67%) at 12, 24, 36, 48 and 60 months since baseline, respectively. A higher risk of VF was independently associated with baseline viral load >100000 copies/mL (adjusted HR = 4.73, 95% CI = 1.33-16.78, P = 0.016) and with ≥1 INSTI mutations plus Q148H/K/R/N and the G140S/A/C as compared with other subjects (adjusted HR = 4.18, 95% CI = 1.32-13.23, P = 0.015). CONCLUSIONS: Our data showed a favourable long-term efficacy of dolutegravir 50 mg twice daily in association with OBT in treatment-experienced failing subjects, with INSTI-resistant virus, in the real world. A close monitoring of adherence is crucial for maintenance of virological response in this fragile subgroup of subjects.

Reduced adherence to antiretroviral therapy is associated with residual low-level viremia.

The source and significance of residual low-level viremia (LLV) during combinational antiretroviral therapy (cART) remain a matter of controversy. It is unclear whether residual viremia depends on ongoing release of HIV from the latent reservoir or if viral replication contributes to LLV. We examined the relationship between adherence and LLV. Adherence was estimated by pharmacy refill and dichotomized as ≥95% or <95%. Plasma HIV-RNA was determined, with an ultrasensitive test having a limit of detection of 3 copies/mL at least 2 times over the follow-up period. Patients were grouped according to HIV-RNA over time as K<3: constantly <3 copies/mL; V<3: sometimes below or above the cutoff limit but always <50 copies/mL; K>3: constantly between 3 and 50 copies/mL; and V>50: a measure of >50 copies/mL minimum. Overall, 2789 patients were included. At each time point approximately 92% of the patients presented an HIV-RNA <50 copies/mL and two-thirds of those <3 copies/mL, 34.6% of patients had <3 copies/mL constantly, 32.7% sometimes below or above the cutoff limit but always <50 copies/mL, 9.5% constantly between 3 and 50 copies/mL, and 23.2% a measure of >50 copies/mL minimum. The mean adherence rate was 92.1% (95% confidence interval [CI] from 91.1% to 93.1%) in K<3 patients, similar in V<3 patients (91.9%), but lowered to 88.8% in K>3 patients and to 88.4% in V>50 patients (P<0.0001). Approximately 55% of patients in groups K<3 and V<3 showed an adherence rate ≥95%; this proportion lowered to ~51% in K>3 and to 48% in V>50. Moreover, 34% of patients with a steady adherence <95% were categorized as K>3, whereas 21.7% of those with a drug holiday (21.7%) were observed in the V>50 group (P=0.002). A steady viral suppression can occur despite moderate cART non-adherence, but reduced adherence is associated with low-level residual viremia, which could reflect new rounds of HIV replication. However, a detectable HIV-RNA could also be detected in patients with optimal cART adherence, indicating additional mechanisms favoring HIV persistence.

Abacavir + dolutegravir + lamivudine for the treatment of HIV.

INTRODUCTION: Since the last revision of both European and American guidelines (EACS and DHHS), new data from clinical trials and cohort studies, as well as experience in clinical practice, have prompted significant changes to the list of recommended/preferred options for the treatment of HIV infected patients, highlighted the role of INSTI-based regimens. Dolutegravir (DTG) in combination with abacavir/lamivudine (ABC/3TC) is one of these preferred regimens in multiple clinical scenarios, including treatment-naive and treatment-experienced patients. AREAS COVERED: In this article we describe the coformulation of ABC/3TC/DTG in a fixed-dose combination (FDC) approved in September 2014 for the treatment of HIV infection. We focused our research on the efficacy and safety data resulting from phase 2 and 3 clinical study, particularly on the results of both SPRING (1 and 2) and SINGLE studies. EXPERT OPINION: Triple combination therapy with ABC/3TC/DTG should be considered among the initial options for treatment-naive patients, being effective, well tolerated, with a high genetic barrier to resistance along with a convenient once-daily administration. In treatment-experienced patients the single-tablet regimen (STR) based on ABC/3TC/DTG could be used as simplification strategy in subjects with sustained viral suppression, as the high genetic barrier of DTG should ensure a safe switch from both NNRTI or PI based regimens.

Factors associated with HPV-DNA clearance in a cohort of HIV-positive patients: role of cART and gender.

INTRODUCTION: We aimed to assess any factors associated with dysplasia regression and with HPV clearance in a cohort of HIV+ patients, with particular focus on cART and gender. METHODS: Asymptomatic HIV+ patients of the San Paolo Infectious Disease (SPID) cohort who underwent anoscopy/gynaecological evaluation were enrolled. Anal/cervical brushing were analyzed for: HPV-PCR detection/genotyping (HR-HPV), cytologic abnormalities (Bethesda System 2001: LSIL-HSIL). Demographics and HIV-related parameters were evaluated at baseline. Activated CD8+/CD38+ lymphocytes were measured (flow citometry). Patients were examined at baseline (T0) and at 12-18 months visit (T1). HPV clearance was defined as negativisation of HPV at T1; SIL regression (SIL-R) and progression (SIL-P) were defined as change from HSIL/LSIL to a lower-grade/absence of dysplasia and as change from absence of HSIL/LSIL to a higher-grade dysplasia at T1, respectively. Mann Whitney test, Chi-square test and multivariate logistic regression were used. RESULTS: A total of 189 patients were examined, 60 (32%) were women. One hundred fifty patients (79%) were HPV+, 113 (75%) harboured HR-HPV; 103 (68%) showed LSIL/HSIL at T0 (32% of women and 65% of men) (all were HPV-positive). No differences in demographics and HIV-related markers were found between patients with SIL-P (33, 41%) and patients with SIL-R (47, 59%). HPV+ patients who cleared HPV (28, 18%) were found to be more frequently female, heterosexual infected, more frequently on cART and with lower Log10 HIV-RNA and lower levels of CD8+/CD38+ % compared with HPV persistence group (Table 1). CONCLUSIONS: Close follow-up of HPV and SIL should be promoted particularly in men and in untreated individuals. We cannot exclude behavioural variables linked to risky sex and reinfection.

HPV Infection in a Cohort of HIV-Positive Men and Women: Prevalence of Oncogenic Genotypes and Predictors of Mucosal Damage at Genital and Oral Sites.

The aim of this study was to assess the prevalence of HPV infection and determinants of abnormal cytology in HIV-positive patients. In a cross-sectional study, patients of both sexes, asymptomatic for HPV, underwent anorectal (men)/cervical (women) and oral swabs. Cytology and HPV-PCR detection/genotyping (high- and low-risk genotypes, HR-LR/HPV) were performed. A total of 20% of the 277 enrolled patients showed oral HPV, with no atypical cytology; in men, anal HPV prevalence was 81% with 64% HR genotypes. In women, cervical HPV prevalence was 58% with 37% HR-HPV. The most frequent genotypes were HPV-16 and HPV-18; 37% of men and 20% of women harbored multiple genotypes. Also, 47% of men showed anal squamous intraepithelial lesions (SILs); 6% had high- and 35% low-grade SILs (HSILs/LSILs); 5% had atypical squamous cells of undetermined significance (ASC-US). HR-HPV was independently associated with anal-SIL in men (P = 0.039). Moreover, 37% of women showed cervical SIL: 14 ASC-US, 15 LSILs, 4 HSILs, and 1 in situ cancer. The presence of both LR and HR-HPV in women was independently associated with SIL (P = 0.003 and P = 0.0001). HR-HPV and atypical cytology were frequently identified in our cohort. HPV screening should be mandatory in HIV-infected subjects, and vaccine programs for HPV-negative patients should be implemented.