Important note: Information in this article was accurate in December 2004. The state of the art may have changed since the publication date.
 |
HIV Treatment Bulletin - Vol. 6, No. 1, December 2004 / January 2005
Graham McKerrow, HIV i-Base
A retrospective questionnaire/interview study of 63 patients taking lopinavir/ritonavir (LPV/r, Kaletra) at the Chelsea and Westminster Hospital in London found that only 43% were taking the drug with adequate food and just over a quarter of patients were taking Kaletra on an empty stomach.
Phillpot and colleagues aimed to interview a quarter of the clinics 500-odd patients taking an LPV/r-containing regimen by telephone questionnaire or at a routine clinic visit. In fact, only 63 (12.5%) patients were interviewed. 38 (60%) said they were told to eat with LPV/r, 20 (32%) said they weren’t given any information and 5 (8%) couldn’t remember.
A moderate fat meal (500-682 kcals) increases mean lopinavir AUC and Cmax by 48% and 23% respectively relative to fasting, and this increased bioavailability is why Kaletra is recommended in prescription advice to be taken with food.
The researchers comment: “For those patients who said they were given guidance on how to take Kaletra, a greater percentage took it with the correct amount of food. However patient error must be considered when carrying out retrospective questionnaires and dietary recall.”
Ref: Phillpot MN, Kabaroff E and Visser TL. Are patients given adequate dietary information when starting on a Lopinavir/Ritonavir containing HAART regimen? Antiviral Therapy 2004; 9(6):L10 (abstract no. 86).
041210
IB050601-07
©2004. I-BASE HIV Treatment Bulletin. Permission to reproduce courtesy of HIV i-Base, Third Floor East, Thrale House, 44-46 Southwark Street, London SE1 1UN - T: +44 (0) 20 7407 8488 F: +44 (0) 20 7407 8489
AEGiS is a 501(c)3, not-for-profit, tax-exempt, educational corporation. AEGiS is made possible through unrestricted grants from Boehringer Ingelheim, Elton John AIDS Foundation, Bridgestone / Firestone Trust, the National Library of Medicine, and donations from users like you. Always watch for outdated information. This article first appeared in 2004. This material is designed to support, not replace, the relationship that exists between you and your doctor.
AEGiS presents published material, reprinted with permission and neither endorses nor opposes any material. All information contained on this website, including information relating to health conditions, products, and treatments, is for informational purposes only. It is often presented in summary or aggregate form. It is not meant to be a substitute for the advice provided by your own physician or other medical professionals. Always discuss treatment options with a doctor who specializes in treating HIV.
Copyright ©1980, 2004. AEGiS. All materials appearing on AEGiS are protected by copyright as a collective work or compilation under U.S. copyright and other laws and are the property of AEGiS, or the party credited as the provider of the content.
