Pharmacologic optimization of protease inhibitors and nonnucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors (POPIN) - A randomized controlled trial of therapeutic drug monitoring and adherence support

We evaluated the feasibility and effectiveness of therapeutic drug monitoring (TDM) and adherence support (collectively, AT) vs standard of care (SOC) in patients receiving HIV protease inhibitors (PIs) and nonnucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors (NNRTIs) within a nurse-led clinic. Primary end points were failure to achieve viral load of < 50 copies/mL at 24 weeks, viral rebound, or development of treatment limiting toxicity. One hundred twenty-two patients (AT 63 and SOC 59) were followed-tip every 12 weeks, for a median of 72 weeks. No difference was observed between arms in risk of reaching a study end point or between groups of patients with abnormal vs "therapeutic" drug concentrations. Interindividual variabilities (coefficient of variation) were the following: efavirenz, 77.5%; nevirapine, 74.5%; lopinavir, 73.4%; nelfinavir, 83.7%; indinavir, 80.8%; saquinavir, 112.4%. Intraindividual variabilities (median coefficient of variation) were the following: NNRTIs, approximately 25%; PIs, 48.4%. Despite persistently abnormal results in 26 of patients in the AT arm (38%), dosage adjustment was only undertaken in 9 patients (35%). A significant proportion of patients had drug concentrations outside the therapeutic range. The Pharmacologic Optimization of Pis and NNRTIs (POPIN) study confirms that TDM trials are complex to interpret and statistically underpowered, with effectiveness better assessed through the clinical utility of a TDM result, whether normal or abnormal. Although TDM of Pis and NNRTIs may be useful in selected patients, routine and unselected use is not supported by current evidence.