Author(s)

Hadewych J. M. ter Hofstede, Peter P. Koopmans, David M. Burger, Herman G. Sprenger, Chris ten Napel, Rob Vriesendorp, Clemens Richter

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Antiretroviral therapy in HIV patients is known for its negative effect on the cardiovascular system. One of the major adverse events in patients on lopinavir is increasing lipids. Hyperlipidaemia together with chronic inflammation by HIV-infection itself makes these patients prone for cardiovascular diseases.The purpose of this study (a sub study within the FREE-study) was to determine if higher plasma lopinavir (LPV) concentrations lead to increase of serum lipids. Plasma drug concentrations were analysed up to week 24 in a prospective cohort of HIV antiretroviral therapy naive patients who started on a regimen of zidovudine, lamivudine and ritonavir-boosted lopinavir (FREE study). Prospectively we measured plasma lopinavir concentrations from baseline to week 24 in 72 naive HIV-patients starting on lopinavir (59 males and 13 females). A total of 210 samples were analysed, with at least 2 samples in every patient. Mean LPV trough concentration was 4.3 mg/L (± 2.1). The median intra-subject variation in LPV level was 38% (range 4% - 111%). Serum lipids were not correlated to LPV plasma concentrations possibly due to the wide intra-individual variability in LPV trough levels. Monitoring of plasma lopinavir and subsequent dose adjustment of LPV will not be useful to prevent hyperlipidaemia in HIV-patients treated with lopinavir.

HIV Infection; Lopinavir Plasma Concentrations; Hypertriglyceridaemia; Hypercholesterolaemia; Dyslipidaemia, Metabolic Toxicity

H. Hofstede, P. Koopmans, D. Burger, H. Sprenger, C. Napel, R. Vriesendorp and C. Richter, "Lopinavir Plasma Concentrations and Serum Lipids in Therapy Naïve HIV-Patients: A Sub Analysis of the FREE Study," Pharmacology & Pharmacy, Vol. 3 No. 1, 2012, pp. 90-96. doi: 10.4236/pp.2012.31013.