Integrase Inhibitors Use for HIV Infection in Pregnancy

AbstractPurpose of ReviewThere are important unmet needs regarding HIV infection, particularly in vulnerable population, such as pregnant women and the safety and efficacy of antiretrovirals to them and their newborn. HIV integrase inhibitor agents are among the preferred antiretrovirals in most guidelines worldwide. The purpose of this review is to evaluate their safety and efficacy in that specific population.Recent FindingsAn increased importance it is being paid to this issue. However, only recently and just a few studies have been conducted trying to evaluate and compare these drugs with other agents such as efavirenz and protease inhibitors.SummaryMost studies evaluate dolutegravir and some raltegravir. So far, the findings from clinical trials support the indication of dolutegravir as the preferred agent and raltegravir as the alternate drug in pregnant women and in those who can become pregnant. They have been shown to be safe to the mother and infant and are effective in reducing viral load and prevent maternal-to-child HIV transmission. Furthermore, viral decay is faster with them, which could be important for late pregnancy in women not taking antiretrovirals yet. While elvitegravir is not recommended due to pharmacokinetic limitations, bictegravir is still not indicated as there is virtually no information about its use in this population. More clinical trials and data are urgently needed to better evaluate antiretrovirals for pregnant women in several settings, i...

Source: Current Infectious Disease Reports - February 16, 2022 Category: Infectious Diseases Source Type: research