Ultrasensitive Human Immunodeficiency Virus Type 1 Viral Load as a Marker of Treatment Choice for Simplification Strategies.

Background: Using 3 randomized Protease inhibitor (PI) monotherapy studies: Kalesolo, Dream and Monoi, we performed a pooled-analysis. Our objective was to determine in PI monotherapy and standard tritherapy: 1) distribution of ultrasensitive viral load (USVL) at week 96 (W96); 2) factors associated with virological failure (VF) at W96 and 3) factors associated with USVL<1 copy at W96. Methods: VF was defined as 2 consecutive measurements of Human Immunodeficiency Virus Type 1 RNA viral load>50 copies/mL and analysed in Intention-To-Treat. A logistic model was used to investigate which variables were predictive of a VF and Fisher test to investigate differences in USVL at W96. Results: Among 609 patients, 73% were male with median age of 44.4 years (IQR 39.8-52.1), baseline CD4/CD8 ratio was 0.8 (IQR 0.6-1.10), baseline CD4 was 564.5/mm3 (IQR 422-707) and 59% presented a baseline USVL<1 copy/mL. At W96, the proportion of USVL<1 copy/mL was significantly different between PI monotherapy and standard tritherapy in pooled-analysis (65% versus 74%; p=0.04). Overall, baseline USVL<1copy/mL, tritherapy and to be a female were associated with USVL<1 copy/mL at W96 (p<0.0001, p=0.049 and p=0.006). In PI monotherapy receiving DRV/r was associated with USVL<1 copy/mL at W96 (p=0.003). Factors associated to virological succes at W96 were higher baseline CD4 (p=0.034) and baseline USVL<1 copy/mL (p=0.0005). Conclusion: Pooled-analysis of 3 PI monotherapy trials showed better efficacy of tritherapy in terms of USVL at W96. Furthermore regarding USVL at W96, to receive LPV/r seems to be more deleterious than DRV/r. Baseline USVL impacts VF at W96 more specifically in tritherapy arm. Clinical Trials Registration: NCT00421551, NCT00946595, and NCT00140751.

Week 96 efficacy of lopinavir/ritonavir monotherapy in virologically suppressed patients with HIV: a randomized non-inferiority trial (ANRS 140 DREAM).

Background: Sparing of antiretroviral drug classes could reduce the toxicity and cost of maintenance treatment for HIV infection. Objectives: To evaluate the non-inferiority of efficacy and the safety of lopinavir/ritonavir (r) monotherapy versus a single-tablet regimen of efavirenz, emtricitabine and tenofovir (EFV/FTC/TDF) over 2 years. Methods: Adults on stable ART with plasma HIV-1 RNA viral load <50 copies/mL for the past 12 months and no documented treatment failure were randomized to receive either lopinavir/r or EFV/FTC/TDF for 2 years. The primary endpoint was the proportion of patients without treatment failure at week 96 (viral load <50 copies/mL at week 96, confirmed at week 98), without study treatment discontinuation, a new AIDS-defining illness, or death. Results: In the ITT analysis, the primary endpoint was reached by, respectively, 64% and 71% of patients in the lopinavir/r (n = 98) and EFV/FTC/TDF arms (n = 97), yielding a difference of -6.8% (lower limit of the 95% two-sided CI: -19.9%). Sanger and UltraDeep sequencing showed the occurrence of PI mutations in the lopinavir/r arm (n = 4) and of NNRTI and/or NRTI mutations in the EFV/FTC/TDF arm (n = 2). No unexpected serious clinical events occurred. Conclusions: Lopinavir/r monotherapy cannot be considered non-inferior to EFV/FTC/TDF. PI resistance rarely emerged in the lopinavir/r arm and did not undermine future PI options. Two years of lopinavir/r monotherapy had no deleterious clinical impact when compared with EFV/FTC/TDF.

Immunity, inflammation and reservoir in patients at an early stage of HIV infection on intermittent ART (ANRS 141 TIPI Trial).

OBJECTIVES: The objective of this study was to assess clinical and biological changes during intermittent ART (I-ART) started early, with significant time spent on versus off ART, which has never before been studied in ART-naive patients with high nadir and current CD4 cell count. PATIENTS AND METHODS: ART-naive HIV-1-infected patients with baseline CD4 ≥ 500/mm(3) and nadir CD4 ≥ 400/mm(3) received 2 years of I-ART (6 month periods on once-daily boosted-PI-based ART, alternating with 6 month periods without ART) in a 2 year, Phase II, non-comparative multicentre trial. The trial is registered with ClinicalTrials.gov, number NCT 00820118. RESULTS: The CD4 cell count remained ≥ 500/mm(3) at 2 years in all 44 patients included in the study. The mean 2 year count was higher than the mean count at baseline in 24 patients overall (55%; 95% CI 40%-69%) and in 20 (65%; 95% CI 48%-81%) of the 31 patients who fully adhered to the trial strategy. All but three of these latter patients had HIV-1 RNA concentrations below 50 copies/mL after each 6 month 'on' period. Only one strategy-related genotypic mutation (M184I) was detected. The HIV-1 DNA median load fluctuated, but it did not differ between month 0 and month 24 (2.8 versus 2.6 log10 copies/10(6) leucocytes, P = 0.29). Biomarkers of inflammation and endothelial activation remained stable between month 0 and month 24. Naive CD4, CD8+CCR5+ and CD8+CD38+ T cell numbers tended to decline. One patient developed Burkitt's lymphoma and 12 patients reported sexually transmitted infections. CONCLUSIONS: In patients with high nadir and current CD4 cell counts, 2 year I-ART maintained the CD4 cell count above 500/mm(3), with no increase in the viral reservoir. Immune activation seems related to HIV replication, while inflammation seems to evolve independently and require specific attention.

Realist evaluation of a theory-based life skills programme aiming to prevent addictive behaviours in adolescents: the ERIEAS study protocol.

INTRODUCTION: Adolescence is a sensitive life stage during which tobacco, alcohol and cannabis are used as ways to learn and adopt roles. There is a great deal of interest in substance use (SU) prevention programmes for young people that work to change representations of these products and help with mobilisation of life skills. Unfortunately, few existing programmes are evidence-based.In France, a programme called Expériences Animées (EA, Animated Experiences) has been developed, inspired by life skills development programmes that have been proven to be successful. The EA programme uses animated short movies and talks with high school and secondary school pupils about the use of psychoactive substances and addictions. By allowing life skills mobilisation and modifying representations and beliefs about SU, it is aimed at delaying initiation of use of psychoactive substances, preventing adolescents from becoming regular consumers, reducing the risks and harms related to the use of these substances and opening the way for adapted support measures.We are interested in understanding how, under what circumstances, through which mechanisms and among which adolescents the EA programme works. Therefore, we have developed the ERIEAS study ('Evaluation Réaliste de l'Intervention Expériences Animées en milieu Scolaire'; Realist Evaluation of the EA Intervention in Schools). METHODS AND ANALYSIS: EA will be conducted in 10 schools. A multi-case approach will be adopted with the aim of developing and adjusting an intervention theory. The study comes under the theory-driven evaluation framework. The investigation methodology will include four stages: (i) elaboration of a middle-range theory; (ii) data collection for validating/adjusting the theory; (iii) data analysis; and (iv) refinement and adjustment of the middle-range theory and definition of the programme's key functions. ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION: The study will provide evidence-based results to health authorities to help in the rollout of health promotion strategies in schools. It will provide knowledge about the strategic configurations most suitable for leading to life skills mobilisation and change young people's representations about SU. The project will be carried out with full respect of current relevant legislation (eg, the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union) and international conventions (eg, Helsinki Declaration). It follows the relevant French legislation of the research category on interventional research protocol involving the human person. The protocol was approved by the Comité et Protection des Personnes (CPP), that is, Committee for the Protection of Persons CPP SUD-EST VI n°: AU 1525 and was reported to the Agence Française de Sécurité Sanitaire des Produits de Santé (ANSM) that is, the French National Agency for the Safety of Health Products. It is in conformity with reference methodology MR003 of Bordeaux University Hospital (CNIL n° 2 026 779 v0).Trial registration detailsThis research has been registered on ClinicalTrials.gov (No. NCT04110626).The research project is registered in the European database ID-RCB (No. 2019-A01003-54).

Cost-Effectiveness Analysis of Lopinavir/Ritonavir Monotherapy Versus Standard Combination Antiretroviral Therapy in HIV-1 Infected Patients with Viral Suppression in France (ANRS 140 DREAM).

BACKGROUND: Protease inhibitor monotherapy is a simplified treatment strategy for virally suppressed HIV-positive patients that has the potential for cost savings, as fewer drugs are used than with combination therapy. However, evidence for its economic value is limited. OBJECTIVES: We assessed the cost-effectiveness of lopinavir/ritonavir monotherapy followed by treatment intensification in case of viral load rebound versus combination antiretroviral therapy (cART) with efavirenz/emtricitabine/tenofovir in HIV-1 infected patients with viral suppression in the ANRS 140 DREAM trial. METHODS: DREAM was conducted in 36 French Hospitals between 2009 and 2013. For each treatment strategy, we estimated the unadjusted and multivariate-adjusted mean costs (in €, year 2010 values) and quality-adjusted life-years (QALYs) per patient, as well as incremental costs and QALYs per patient. We then assessed uncertainty using the cost-effectiveness acceptability curve, scenario analyses and cost-effectiveness price-threshold (CEPT) analysis. RESULTS: In the base-case analysis considering 2009-2013 antiretroviral drug (ARV) prices, adjusted incremental costs and QALYs were - €3296 (95% confidence interval [CI] - 5202 to - 1391) and 0.006 (95% CI - 0.021 to 0.033), respectively, over 2 years, suggesting that monotherapy was cost-effective with a probability of 100% at various cost-effectiveness thresholds. In scenario analyses considering 2018 ARV prices, monotherapy remained cost-effective but with a lower probability (94% vs. 100% in the base-case analysis). The current price of cART would have to decrease by 34% to be cost-effective with a probability of 95%. CONCLUSION: Monotherapy appears to be cost-effective compared with cART for virologically suppressed HIV-positive patients in France. CEPT analysis is a useful tool to identify the preferred strategy to adopt given that ARV prices change rapidly. TRIAL REGISTRATION: Clinicaltrials.gov identifier: NCT00946595.

Efficacy and safety of varenicline for smoking cessation in people living with HIV in France (ANRS 144 Inter-ACTIV): a randomised controlled phase 3 clinical trial.

BACKGROUND: Tobacco smoking is common in people living with HIV, but high-quality evidence on interventions for smoking cessation is not available in this population. We aimed to assess the efficacy and safety of varenicline with counselling to aid smoking cessation in people living with HIV. METHODS: The ANRS 144 Inter-ACTIV randomised, parallel, double-blind, multicentre, placebo-controlled phase 3 trial was done at 30 clinical hospital sites in France. People living with HIV who had smoked at least ten cigarettes per day for 1 year or longer, were motivated to stop smoking, were not dependent on another psychoactive substance, and had no history of depression or suicide attempt were eligible. Using a computer-generated randomisation sequence, we allocated (1:1) the patients to receive either varenicline titrated to two 0·5 mg doses twice daily or placebo twice daily for 12 weeks, plus face-to-face counselling. Patients and investigators were masked to treatment group allocation. Patients who were not abstinent at week 24 were offered open-label varenicline for 12 additional weeks. The primary outcome was the proportion of smokers continuously abstinent from week 9 to week 48. Smoking status was confirmed by carbon monoxide in exhaled air. Primary analyses were done in both the intention-to-treat (ITT) population and modified ITT (mITT) population, which comprised all patients who took at least one tablet of their assigned study treatment. The safety analyses were done in the mITT population. The trial is registered at ClinicalTrials.gov, number NCT00918307. The trial status is complete. FINDINGS: From Oct 26, 2009, to Dec 20, 2012, of 303 patients assessed for eligibility, 248 patients were randomly assigned to the varenicline group (n=123) or the placebo group (n=125). After randomisation, one participant initially assigned to the placebo group was excluded from the ITT analysis for a regulatory reason (no French health-care coverage). 102 patients in the varenicline group and 111 patients in the placebo group received at least one dose of their assigned treatment and were included in the mITT analysis. In the ITT analysis, varenicline was associated with a higher proportion of patients achieving continuous abstinence over the study period (week 9-48): 18 (15%, 95% CI 8-21) of 123 in the varenicline group versus eight (6%, 2-11) of 124 in the placebo group, adjusted odds ratio (OR) 2·5 (95% CI 1·0-6·1; p=0·041). In the mITT analysis, varenicline was also associated with higher continuous abstinence: 18 (18%, 95% CI 10-25) of 102 versus eight (7%, 2-12) of 111 in the placebo group (adjusted OR 2·7, 95% CI 1·1-6·5; p=0·029). The incidence of depression was 2·4 per 100 person-years (95% CI 0·6-9·5; two [2%] of 102) in the varenicline group and 12·4 per 100 person-years (95% CI 6·9-22·5; 11 [10%] of 111) in the placebo group. 14 (7%) of 213 participants had 18 cardiovascular events: six (6%) of 102 people in the varenicline group and eight (7%) of 111 people in the placebo group. INTERPRETATION: Varenicline is safe and efficacious for smoking cessation in people living with HIV and should be recommended as the standard of care. FUNDING: The French National Institute for Health and Medical Research (INSERM)-French National Agency for Research on AIDS and Viral Hepatitis (ANRS) and Pfizer.