Pattern of neurocognitive function in patients receiving boosted protease inhibitor monotherapy: a detailed

Abstract

In our study, we included patients virologically suppressed (≥1 year), on antiretroviral therapy, without concomitant major neurocognitive confounders, receiving boosted lopinavir or darunavir as monotherapy (n=96) or as triple therapy with two nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors (n=95). All patients underwent a comprehensive neuropsychological test battery (14 neuropsychological measures, covering seven domains). Both groups were compared in average score distributions and rates of neuropsychological deficits. Similar comparisons were conducted only for patients with neurocognitive impairment. In the adjusted analysis, we found only small differences between groups in the entire sample: better verbal learning (p=0.02; d=0.28) and verbal recall scores (p<0.01; d=0.25) in patients on boosted protease inhibitor monotherapy and slightly better motor skills with dominant hand (p=0.02; d=0.23) scores in patients on triple therapy. No greater proportion of deficits in the protease inhibitor monotherapy group was found in any neuropsychological measure.