Long-term effectiveness and tolerability of dolutegravir/lamivudine in treatment-naive people with HIV: an analysis of a multicentre cohort at 96 weeks

Abstract

Objectives To evaluate the long-term effectiveness, persistence and tolerability of dolutegravir (DTG)/lamivudine (3TC), compared with the most frequently prescribed first-line treatment regimens, among antiretroviral-naive people with HIV from CoRIS, a multicentre cohort in Spain, in 2018–23. Methods We used multivariable regression models to compare viral suppression (VS) (HIV RNA viral load <50 copies/mL), change in CD4 cell counts, persistence and treatment discontinuations due to adverse events (AEs), at 96 (±24) weeks after treatment initiation. Results Of 2359 participants, DTG/3TC was prescribed in 472 (20.0%), bictegravir/tenofovir alafenamide (TAF)/emtricitabine (FTC) in 1134 (48.1%), DTG + tenofovir disoproxil fumarate/FTC in 300 (12.7%), DTG/abacavir/3TC in 273 (11.6%) and darunavir/cobicistat/TAF/FTC in 180 (7.6%). At 96 weeks from treatment initiation, 94.0% of participants initiating with DTG/3TC achieved VS, and the mean increase in CD4 cell counts was 295.5 cells/μL (95% CI: 269.9–321.1). During the first 96 weeks after DTG/3TC initiation, 9.8% and 1.3% discontinued their initial regimen, overall and due to AEs, respectively. In multivariable analyses, we did not find significant differences in VS or increase in CD4 cell counts among participants initiating with DTG/3TC compared with other regimens. Initiating ART with a regimen other than DTG/3TC was associated with a higher risk of treatment discontinuation, overall and due to AEs. Conclusions Among treatment-naive people with HIV from this large multicentre cohort, DTG/3TC had similar effectiveness and better persistence and tolerability than those of the most frequently prescribed first-line regimens at 96 weeks.