Nelfinavir Plasma Concentrations Are Low during Pregnancy

Abstract

Plasma nelfinavir concentration ratios (CRs) were calculated for all pregnant (n=27) and nonpregnant (n=48) human immunodeficiency virus type 1-infected women receiving the drug who visited our outpatient clinic. In pregnant women, mean and median nelfinavir CRs were significantly lower (P=.02 and P=.04, respectively), and 51% of the CRs were below the clinically relevant threshold of 0.90, compared with 35% of the CRs in nonpregnant women. After we adjusted for confounders, we found that the mean nelfinavir CR was 34% lower in pregnant women (P=.02). With targeted interventions, subsequent CRs in pregnant women showed a significant increase (median increase, 0.31; P=.01).