Effectiveness and tolerability of dolutegravir and abacavir/lamivudine administered as two separate pills compared to their equivalent single-tablet regimen in a multicentre cohort in Spain.

INTRODUCTION: We aimed to assess the effectiveness and tolerability of dolutegravir (DTG), abacavir (ABC) and lamivudine (3TC) administered as branded STR (DTG/ABC/3TC) or as two separate pills (DTG and either branded ABC/3TC [DTG+(ABC/3TC)b] or generic ABC/3TC [DTG+(ABC/3TC)g]). METHODS: We included individuals from the multicentre cohort of the Spanish HIV/AIDS Research Network (CoRIS) who received DTG/ABC/3TC, DTG+(ABC/3TC)b or DTG+(ABC/3TC)g during 2015 to 2018. We used multivariable logistic regression to compare the proportion of antiretroviral-naïve individuals who achieved viral suppression (VS) (viral load ≤50 copies/mL) at 24 weeks of initiating with DTG+(ABC/3TC)b or DTG+(ABC/3TC)g versus DTG/ABC/3TC. We also calculated the proportion of virologically suppressed individuals who maintained VS at 24 weeks after switching from DTG/ABC/3TC to DTG+(ABC/3TC)g. RESULTS: During the study period, 829, 68 and 47 treatment-naïve individuals started treatment with DTG/ABC/3TC, DTG+(ABC/3TC)b or DTG+(ABC/3TC)g respectively. The proportions of individuals who changed their regimens due to side effects during the first 24 weeks were 3.7%, 4.4% and 6.4% respectively (p = 0.646). We did not find significant differences in VS at 24 weeks among individuals starting with DTG+(ABC/3TC)b or DTG+(ABC/3TC)g compared to those initiating with DTG/ABC/3TC. Among 177 virologically suppressed individuals who switched from DTG/ABC/3TC to DTG+(ABC/3TC)g, 170 (96.0%) maintained VS at 24 weeks. CONCLUSIONS: In naïve individuals, the effectiveness and tolerability at 24 weeks of DTG plus ABC/3TC administered as two separate pills, either as branded or generic ABC/3TC, was similar to the STR DTG/ABC/3TC. Switching the STR DTG/ABC/3TC to its separate components DTG+(ABC/3TC)g in virologically suppressed individuals did not seem to impair its effectiveness.

Neurosarcoidosis presenting with isolated intracranial mass lesion and communicating hydrocephalus / Neurosarcoidosis con lesión de tipo masa intracraneal aislada e hidrocefalia comunicante

Isolated neurosarcoidosis is a very rare disease, which makes up 5-15% of sarcoidosis cases. Hydrocephalus is a rare clinical feature with a prevalence of 6% among these patients. Considering neurosarcoidosis in the differential diagnosis of a unique parenquimal mass lesion could help in the early identification of this disease. We report the case of a 27-year-old African man who developed with a sole intracranial mass lesion mimicking radiologically a glioma, which finally came out as an isolated neurosarcoidosis. There is a difficulty in diagnosis when isolated neurosarcoidosis appears. In addition, the low prevalence of the disease entails a not standardized medical treatment. Natural outcome is poor even when hydrocephalus is resolved. Multimodal treatments including complete pharmacological treatment do not seem to assure a better outcome in these patients until date

La neurosarcoidosis cerebral aislada es una enfermedad muy rara, que representa entre el 5-15% de los casos de sarcoidosis. La hidrocefalia es una característica clínica poco frecuente, con una prevalencia del 6% entre estos pacientes. Considerar la neurosarcoidosis en el diagnóstico diferencial de una lesión de tipo masa parenquimatosa única puede ayudar en la identificación temprana de esta enfermedad. Presentamos el caso de un varón africano de 27 años de edad, que presenta una lesión de tipo masa única intracraneal que simulaba radiológicamente un glioma, y que finalmente se reveló como una neurosarcoidosis aislada. Es difícil establecer un diagnóstico cuando aparece una neurosarcoidosis cerebral aislada. Además, la baja prevalencia de la enfermedad conlleva un tratamiento médico no estandarizado. El pronóstico natural es malo, incluso cuando se resuelve la hidrocefalia. Hasta la fecha, los tratamientos multimodales, incluido el tratamiento farmacológico completo, no parecen asegurar un mejor resultado en estos pacientes

Neurosarcoidosis presenting with isolated intracranial mass lesion and communicating hydrocephalus.

Isolated neurosarcoidosis is a very rare disease, which makes up 5-15% of sarcoidosis cases. Hydrocephalus is a rare clinical feature with a prevalence of 6% among these patients. Considering neurosarcoidosis in the differential diagnosis of a unique parenquimal mass lesion could help in the early identification of this disease. We report the case of a 27-year-old African man who developed with a sole intracranial mass lesion mimicking radiologically a glioma, which finally came out as an isolated neurosarcoidosis. There is a difficulty in diagnosis when isolated neurosarcoidosis appears. In addition, the low prevalence of the disease entails a not standardized medical treatment. Natural outcome is poor even when hydrocephalus is resolved. Multimodal treatments including complete pharmacological treatment do not seem to assure a better outcome in these patients until date.

Physicians' opinions on generic antiretroviral drugs and single-tablet regimen de-simplification for the treatment of HIV infection: a multicentre survey in Spain.

OBJECTIVES: To assess the attitudes and opinions about generic antiretroviral drugs (ARVs) and single-tablet regimen (STR) de-simplification among physicians prescribing HIV treatment in the cohort of the Spanish HIV/AIDS Research Network (CoRIS). METHODS: An online questionnaire with 27 structured questions was sent to all physicians (n=199) who prescribed ARVs among the 45 centres participating in the cohort. RESULTS: A total of 169 (84.9%) physicians answered the questionnaire. Only 4.1% of the physicians would never prescribe generic ARVs, but 53.3% would not prescribe them if the number of pills per day increased and 89.3% would not prescribe them if the number of doses per day increased. However, 84.0% of the physicians agreed to prescribe generic ARVs if doing so would decrease costs for the public healthcare system. The percentages of physicians stating that generic ARVs (compared with branded ones) would be associated with worse adherence, more adverse effects or more probability of virological failure, provided that the number of pills and doses per day would not change, were low: 0.6%, 7.7% and 3.6%, respectively. However, these percentages were much higher if the generic ARV entailed breaking an STR: 63.9%, 18.9% and 42.0%, respectively. Most physicians stated that they needed more information about the effectiveness and safety of generic ARVs and the price difference compared with their branded equivalents. CONCLUSIONS: Although most physicians were confident about prescribing generic ARVs, the majority had strong concerns about de-simplifying STR, and they also needed more information about generic drugs.