title: HIV integrase inhibitors in ART-experienced patients.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  We review the most recent clinical trials of integrase inhibitors (INIs) in antiretroviral therapy (ART)-experienced patients, including trails of new strategies such as intensification and simplification therapy with this new class of compounds.
  
  
  RESULTS
  After the excellent results of the first-generation INIs [raltegravir (RAL) and elvitegravir] in the treatment of ART-experienced patients, dolutegravir--a new second-generation compound in this drug class--adds the possibility of rescuing ART-experienced patients after virologic failure to first-generation INIs like RAL. RAL may have a role in an intensification strategy--adding RAL to a suppressive ART therapy--that could have an effect in avoiding new cycles of infection and cellular activation. On the contrary, RAL has clearly shown efficacy in switching away from boosted protease inhibitors (PI/r). This simplification strategy may be an interesting option in patients suffering from side effects of boosted protease inhibitors. In simplification, the length of time of HIV suppression before the switch may be used as a marker of probable success.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In ART-experienced patients INIs are a new and exciting part of the armamentarium for the control of HIV replication. INIs could play an interesting role in strategies such as intensification or simplification.
authors.affiliation: Division of Infectious Diseases, Hospital Clinic, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain. jlblanco@clinic.ub.es
authors.forename: Jose-Luis
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Blanco
authors.forename: Javier
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Martinez-Picado
mesh_terms: D023241:Antiretroviral Therapy, Highly Active / Q000379:methods*; D002986:Clinical Trials as Topic; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000188:drug therapy*; D019428:HIV Integrase Inhibitors / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006575:Heterocyclic Compounds, 3-Ring / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006801:Humans; D010078:Oxazines; D010879:Piperazines; D011728:Pyridones; D011760:Pyrrolidinones / Q000627:therapeutic use; D015363:Quinolones / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000068898:Raltegravir Potassium; D016879:Salvage Therapy / Q000379:methods*; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D000099226:Dolutegravir
chemical_list: D019428:HIV Integrase Inhibitors; D006575:Heterocyclic Compounds, 3-Ring; D010078:Oxazines; D010879:Piperazines; D011728:Pyridones; D011760:Pyrrolidinones; D015363:Quinolones; D000068898:Raltegravir Potassium; D000099226:Dolutegravir; C509700:elvitegravir