Table 2

Select antiretroviral therapy agents with level AI evidence for treating HIV, potential CYP3A4 interactions, and other considerations for concurrent use with chemotherapy

Class/drugsDoseCYP3A4 interactionsSide effectsOther considerations
First-choice agents* 
 NRTIs   
  Emtricitabine/tenofovir (Truvada) 1 tablet (200 mg/300 mg) daily — Nephrotoxicity (<3%) Dose adjust for creatinine clearance <50 mL/min 
Dual anti-HBV activity, preferred in HBV coinfected patients 
AI NRTI in several NNRTI-, PI-, and INSTI-based regimens 
  Abacavir/lamivudine (Epzicom) 1 tablet (600 mg/300 mg) daily — Life-threatening hypersensitivity reactions in patients with HLA-B57*01 allele Pharmacogenomic testing for HLA-B57*01 required before use of abacavir 
Avoid Epzicom if creatinine clearance <50 mL/min; instead, use renally dosed individual agents 
AI NRTI in combination with dolutegravir 
 INSTIs    
  Dolutegravir (Tivicay) 1 tablet (50 mg) daily — Elevated AST/ALT Metabolized by UGT1A1; dose increase required with efavirenz, rifampin, or select ritonavir-based combinations, and possibly other UGT1A1 inducers 
Increase dose to 50 mg twice daily for patients with certain INSTI-related mutations 
AI in combination with dual NRTIs above 
  Raltegravir (Isentress) 1 tablet (400 mg) twice daily — Elevated AST/ALT Metabolized by UGT1A1; dose increase required with rifampin 
Elevated creatine phosphokinase AI in combination with emtricitabine/tenofovir 
Additional second-choice options 
 NNRTIs   
  Rilpivirine (Edurant) 1 tablet (25 mg) daily Weak induction Depressed mood, insomnia (<10%) Contraindicated in combination with strong CYP3A4 inducers or proton pump inhibitors 
AI in combination with emtricitabine/tenofovir (once-a-day combination; Complera) in patients with HIV viral load <100 000 copies per mL and CD4+ count >200 cells per mm3 
  Efavirenz (Sustiva; also included in once-a-day combination with emtricitabine/tenofovir (Atripla) 1 tablet (600 mg) daily; in Atripla, 1 tablet (600/300/ 200 mg) daily Strong induction Depressed mood (5%) and increased rate of suicidality CYP3A4 metabolized; dose adjust if used in combination with voriconazole or rifampin 
Nervous system symptoms (headache, insomnia, dizziness) <30%, general resolve within 2-4 wk AI as Atripla, or in combination with abacavir/lamivudine in patients with HIV viral load <100 000 copies per mL 
Rash (10%-15%)  
Contraindicated§ 
 PIs     
  Darunavir (Prezista) boosted by ritonavir (Norvir) 1 tablet (800 mg) daily combined with ritonavir
1 tablet (100 mg) daily 
Strong inhibition Gastrointestinal symptoms (10%-20%) AI in combination with emtricitibine/tenofovir 
Dyslipidemia (20%-25%) Increased dose recommended for cART-experienced patients or those with specific HIV mutations 
AST/ALT abnormalities (12%) Contraindicated with strong CYP3A4 inducers 
Rash (6%)  
  Atazanavir (Reyataz) boosted by ritonavir (Norvir) 1 tablet (300 mg) daily combined with ritonavir
1 tablet (100 mg) daily 
Strong inhibition Hyperbilirubinemia (44%) A1 in combination with NRTIs above 
Gastrointestinal symptoms (<5%) Take with food 
Dyslipidemia (24%) Concurrent strong CYP3A4 inducers contraindicated 
Rash (5%-7%) Atazanavir is strong UGT1A1 inhibitor, contraindicated with irinotecan 
 Cobicistat-boosted once-a-day regimens   
  Elvitegravir/cobicistat/emtricitabine/tenofovir (Stribild) 1 tablet (150 mg/150 mg/200 mg/300 mg) daily Strong inhibition Gastrointestinal symptoms (10%-20%) Take with food 
Headache (7%) Do not initiate if creatinine clearance <70 mL/min 
Nephrotoxicity (10%) Concurrent strong CYP3A4 inducers contraindicated 
Class/drugsDoseCYP3A4 interactionsSide effectsOther considerations
First-choice agents* 
 NRTIs   
  Emtricitabine/tenofovir (Truvada) 1 tablet (200 mg/300 mg) daily — Nephrotoxicity (<3%) Dose adjust for creatinine clearance <50 mL/min 
Dual anti-HBV activity, preferred in HBV coinfected patients 
AI NRTI in several NNRTI-, PI-, and INSTI-based regimens 
  Abacavir/lamivudine (Epzicom) 1 tablet (600 mg/300 mg) daily — Life-threatening hypersensitivity reactions in patients with HLA-B57*01 allele Pharmacogenomic testing for HLA-B57*01 required before use of abacavir 
Avoid Epzicom if creatinine clearance <50 mL/min; instead, use renally dosed individual agents 
AI NRTI in combination with dolutegravir 
 INSTIs    
  Dolutegravir (Tivicay) 1 tablet (50 mg) daily — Elevated AST/ALT Metabolized by UGT1A1; dose increase required with efavirenz, rifampin, or select ritonavir-based combinations, and possibly other UGT1A1 inducers 
Increase dose to 50 mg twice daily for patients with certain INSTI-related mutations 
AI in combination with dual NRTIs above 
  Raltegravir (Isentress) 1 tablet (400 mg) twice daily — Elevated AST/ALT Metabolized by UGT1A1; dose increase required with rifampin 
Elevated creatine phosphokinase AI in combination with emtricitabine/tenofovir 
Additional second-choice options 
 NNRTIs   
  Rilpivirine (Edurant) 1 tablet (25 mg) daily Weak induction Depressed mood, insomnia (<10%) Contraindicated in combination with strong CYP3A4 inducers or proton pump inhibitors 
AI in combination with emtricitabine/tenofovir (once-a-day combination; Complera) in patients with HIV viral load <100 000 copies per mL and CD4+ count >200 cells per mm3 
  Efavirenz (Sustiva; also included in once-a-day combination with emtricitabine/tenofovir (Atripla) 1 tablet (600 mg) daily; in Atripla, 1 tablet (600/300/ 200 mg) daily Strong induction Depressed mood (5%) and increased rate of suicidality CYP3A4 metabolized; dose adjust if used in combination with voriconazole or rifampin 
Nervous system symptoms (headache, insomnia, dizziness) <30%, general resolve within 2-4 wk AI as Atripla, or in combination with abacavir/lamivudine in patients with HIV viral load <100 000 copies per mL 
Rash (10%-15%)  
Contraindicated§ 
 PIs     
  Darunavir (Prezista) boosted by ritonavir (Norvir) 1 tablet (800 mg) daily combined with ritonavir
1 tablet (100 mg) daily 
Strong inhibition Gastrointestinal symptoms (10%-20%) AI in combination with emtricitibine/tenofovir 
Dyslipidemia (20%-25%) Increased dose recommended for cART-experienced patients or those with specific HIV mutations 
AST/ALT abnormalities (12%) Contraindicated with strong CYP3A4 inducers 
Rash (6%)  
  Atazanavir (Reyataz) boosted by ritonavir (Norvir) 1 tablet (300 mg) daily combined with ritonavir
1 tablet (100 mg) daily 
Strong inhibition Hyperbilirubinemia (44%) A1 in combination with NRTIs above 
Gastrointestinal symptoms (<5%) Take with food 
Dyslipidemia (24%) Concurrent strong CYP3A4 inducers contraindicated 
Rash (5%-7%) Atazanavir is strong UGT1A1 inhibitor, contraindicated with irinotecan 
 Cobicistat-boosted once-a-day regimens   
  Elvitegravir/cobicistat/emtricitabine/tenofovir (Stribild) 1 tablet (150 mg/150 mg/200 mg/300 mg) daily Strong inhibition Gastrointestinal symptoms (10%-20%) Take with food 
Headache (7%) Do not initiate if creatinine clearance <70 mL/min 
Nephrotoxicity (10%) Concurrent strong CYP3A4 inducers contraindicated 

Appropriate HIV therapy generally consists of an INSTI, NNRTI, or PI combined with 2 NTRIs, often in the form of a combination tablet.

Potential drug-drug interaction considerations are underlined.

*

First choice antiretroviral agents in combination with chemotherapy regimens containing CYP3A4 substrates are those that are not metabolized via CYP3A4 system.

—; no significant effect on CYP3A4 metabolism of other drugs.

Strong level of evidence (AI) in antiretroviral-naïve patients on the basis of randomized controlled trials; recommendations are in concordance with the Department of Health and Human Services Guidelines for the Use of Antiretroviral Agents in HIV-1-Infected Adults and Adolescents.56 

Use of these second-choice options is somewhat more likely to be limited by potential drug-drug interactions during chemotherapy.

§

Contraindicated in combination with vinblastine and other chemotherapy drugs heavily dependent on CYP3A4 metabolism; they may be useful after completion of chemotherapy.

Anti-HBV, antibody to HBV; AST/ALT, aspartate aminotransferase/alanine aminotransferase; HLA, human leukocyte antigen; INSTI, integrase strand transfer inhibitor; NNRTI, nonnucleoside reverse-transcriptase inhibitor; NRTI, nucleoside reverse-transcriptase inhibitor; UGT1A1, uridine diphosphate glucuronosyltransferase 1 polypeptide A1.

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