Lipid Profiles in HIV‐Infected Patients Receiving Combination Antiretroviral Therapy: Are Different Antiretroviral Drugs Associated with Different Lipid Profiles?

TLDR

The study compares triglyceride, total cholesterol, LDL‑c, HDL‑c, and TC:HDL‑c ratios among patients on different antiretroviral therapy regimens. Lipid levels were measured in patients receiving various antiretroviral regimens. Patients on protease‑inhibitor regimens, especially dual‑PI or ritonavir‑containing regimens, had higher TC, TG, and TC:HDL‑c ratios, while nelfinavir reduced low HDL‑c risk and saquinavir lowered TC:HDL‑c; non‑nucleoside reverse‑transcriptase inhibitors increased TC and LDL‑c but lowered low HDL‑c risk, and efavirenz raised TC and TG more than nevirapine.

Abstract

Levels of triglycerides (TG), total cholesterol (TC), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-c), and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-c), as well as the TC:HDL-c ratio, were compared in patients receiving different antiretroviral therapy regimens. Patients receiving first-line regimens including protease inhibitors (PIs) had higher TC and TG levels and TC:HDL-c ratios than did antiretroviral-naive patients; patients receiving 2 PIs had higher levels of each lipid. Ritonavir-containing regimens were associated with higher TC and TG levels and TC:HDL-c ratios than were indinavir-containing regimens; however, receipt of nelfinavir was associated with reduced risk of lower HDL-c levels, and receipt of saquinavir was associated with lower TC:HDL-c ratios. Patients receiving nonnucleoside reverse-transcriptase inhibitors had higher levels of TC and LDL-c than did antiretroviral-naive patients, although the risk of having lower HDL-c levels was lower than that in patients receiving a single PI. Efavirenz was associated with higher levels of TC and TG than was nevirapine.