Real-World Characterization of the Portuguese Population Living with HIV who Initiated Raltegravir Based-Regimens: The REALITY Study

Abstract

Introduction: Although raltegravir has been available since 2007, data are lacking on the Portuguese population living with HIV who initiated this antiretroviral therapy. Hence, this study aimed to characterize the patients who initiated raltegravir-based regimens between January 2015 and December 2017, on sociodemographics, clinical features, and treatment satisfaction.
Material and Methods: Observational, retrospective, multicentre study conducted at 11 reference sites. Sociodemographic and clinical data were collected retrospectively from hospital medical records. For participants continuing raltegravir at study inclusion, the HIV Treatment Satisfaction Questionnaire was administered to assess satisfaction with raltegravir-based therapy. Descriptive statistics were performed. Treatment-naïve and treatment-experienced subgroups were compared for demographic and clinical variables.
Results: A total of 302 patients were included; mostly men (69.5%) with a mean age of 49 years old. Approximately half of the patients had at least one non-AIDS-related comorbidity at baseline (53.3%), such as hypercholesterolemia, arterial hypertension, diabetes mellitus, and depression. Moreover, 52.3% were treatment-experienced patients with up to two treatments prior to raltegravir. Across the study time points, there was a reduction in the viral load and improvement in CD4 counts in both the treatment-naïve and treatment-experienced subgroups. Continuing users of raltegravir reported high treatment satisfaction (55.4 ± 7.2 points).
Conclusion: Raltegravir-based regimens seem like a valid therapeutic option in heterogeneous populations of HIV-infected patients, in patients with previous ART experience and as part of first-line therapeutic options alongside with the latest generation of drugs from its class.