Patient Preference and Adherence (Apr 2021)
Association of Hair Concentrations of Antiretrovirals with Virologic Outcomes Among People Living with HIV in Guangxi, China
Abstract
Quan Zhang,1,2,* Xiaoming Li,1 Shan Qiao,1 Shuaifeng Liu,3 Zhiyong Shen,3 Yuejiao Zhou3,* 1South Carolina SmartState Center for Healthcare Quality (CHQ), Arnold School of Public Health, University of South Carolina, Columbia, SC, USA; 2Institute of Pedagogy and Applied Psychology, School of Public Administration, Hohai University, Nanjing, Jiangsu, People’s Republic of China; 3Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Nanning, Guangxi, People’s Republic of China*These authors contributed equally to this workCorrespondence: Quan ZhangSouth Carolina SmartState Center for Healthcare Quality (CHQ), Arnold School of Public Health, University of South Carolina, Discovery I, 915 Greene Street, Columbia, SC, 29028, USATel +1 803 777 8615Fax +1 803 777 6290Email [email protected] ShenGuangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region Center for Disease Control and Prevention, No. 18 Jinzhou Road, Nanning, Guangxi, 530028, People’s Republic of ChinaTel +86 771 251 8838Email [email protected]: Hair concentrations of antiretrovirals are an innovative and non-invasive method for measuring cumulative antiretroviral exposure and assessing long-term antiretroviral adherence. This study aimed to examine hair concentrations of antiretrovirals in relation to virologic outcomes among PLHIV in Guangxi, China.Methods: Cross-sectional data of hair concentrations of antiretrovirals and HIV viral load were collected from 215 PLHIV in Guangxi, China. Multivariate logistic regression analyses were used to examine the association of hair concentrations of antiretrovirals with virologic outcomes.Results: Of the 215 participants, 215, 67, and 163 PLHIV are receiving lamivudine, zidovudine, and efavirenz, respectively. Multivariate analysis revealed that hair concentrations of lamivudine [odds ratio = 16.52, 95% CI 2.51– 108.60, p = 0.004] and efavirenz [odds ratio = 14.26, 95% CI 1.18– 172.01, p = 0.036], but not zidovudine [odds ratio = 1.77, 95% CI 0.06– 56.14, p = 0.747], were the strongest independent predictor of virologic suppression when controlling for sociodemographic and other HIV-related characteristics.Conclusion: Hair concentrations of lamivudine and efavirenz were the strongest independent predictor of virologic suppression among Chinese PLHIV. Hair analysis of antiretrovirals may provide a non-invasive, cost-effective tool that predicts virologic suppression among PLHIV in China.Keywords: hair concentrations, antiretroviral, viral load, people living with HIV
