Pregnancy-related changes of antiretroviral pharmacokinetics: an argument for therapeutic drug monitoring

Abstract

Here we describe a case of an HIV-infected young woman with extensive drug-resistant virus, who was successfully switched from a raltegravir-based regimen to a dolutegravir-based intensified antiretroviral regimen a few days before scheduled caesarean section because of the still detectable viral load. The trough concentrations of all antiretroviral drugs before and after delivery are also described. Our case underlines both the difficult management of young women, HIV-infected at young age with very limited treatment options and the great variability in the pregnancy-related physiological changes affecting the pharmacokinetics of antiretrovirals.