title: Evaluation of treatment tolerability, satisfaction and laboratory parameters in HIV+ patients switching from ritonavir capsule to tablet formulation.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  This study evaluated treatment satisfaction, gastrointestinal tolerability, depressive symptoms and alterations in laboratory parameters before and after switching from ritonavir capsule to tablet formulation.
  
  
  METHODS
  HIV+ adults switching from ritonavir capsules to tablets were eligible for the study. The HIV Treatment Satisfaction Questionnaire (HIVTSQ), Gastrointestinal Symptom Rating Scale (GSRS) and CES-D Depression inventory were self-administered before, and 3-4 months after switching. Results of laboratory tests within three months of each questionnaire were collected. A subset underwent plasma drug level sampling. Wilcoxon signed rank sum test was used for comparison of continuous variables and McNemar's test for dichotomised data.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Most of the 71 participants were Caucasian men, median age 51 years. Participants were taking ritonavir in combination with either atazanavir (n=48 [67.6%]), darunavir (n=18 [25.4%]), fosamprenavir (n=3 [4.2%]) or saquinavir (n=2 [2.8%]). In general after the switch to tablets, participants reported improved treatment satisfaction (median [interquartile range] HIVTSQ score 53/60 [48, 58] after vs 49/60 [45, 54] before, p <0.001), fewer gastrointestinal symptoms (GSRS score 4/45 [1, 9] vs 5/45 [3,13], p < 0.001) and had higher HDL cholesterol (1.22 mmol/L [1.07, 1.45] vs 1.09 mmol/L [0.90,1.32], p = 0.003) and lower total cholesterol/HDL ratio (3.82 [3.05, 4.40] vs 4.23 [3.45, 4.84], p<0.001). There were no significant changes in plasma viral load, CD4 counts, depression scores, or atazanavir or ritonavir trough levels.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Results of this study suggest that the newer tablet formulation of ritonavir is better tolerated and has fewer gastrointestinal side effects than the older capsule formulation.
authors.affiliation: AIDS Research Program, St. Paul's Hospital, Vancouver, BC, Canada.
authors.forename: Andy
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Mtambo
authors.forename: Marianne
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Harris
authors.forename: Junine
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Toy
authors.forename: Silvia
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Guillemi
authors.forename: Wendy
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Viviane D
authors.initials: VD
authors.lastname: Lima
authors.forename: Robert
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Hogg
authors.forename: Julio S G
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Montaner
authors.forename: Mark
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Hull
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D019380:Anti-HIV Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000009:adverse effects; D002214:Capsules / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000009:adverse effects; D005260:Female; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000188:drug therapy*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010342:Patient Acceptance of Health Care; D010549:Personal Satisfaction; D011446:Prospective Studies; D019438:Ritonavir / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000009:adverse effects; D013607:Tablets / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000009:adverse effects; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D019380:Anti-HIV Agents; D002214:Capsules; D013607:Tablets; D019438:Ritonavir