CD4 + cell count and risk for antiretroviral drug resistance among women using peripartum nevirapine for perinatal HIV prevention

Similar documents
A Descriptive Study of Outcomes of Interventions to Prevent Mother to Child Transmission of HIV in Lusaka, Zambia

The Situation and the Progress of PMTC in Africa

Articles. Methods Study participants We recruited HIV-infected pregnant women in Lusaka, Zambia, who sought care at two public-sector primary

Phase II clinical trial TEmAA. Didier Koumavi EKOUEVI, MD PhD (Principal Investigator)

Prophylactic regimens to prevent mother-to-child transmission of HIV and their effect on future therapy

KAREN M. MEGAZZINI DONNA K. ARNETT, COMMITTEE CHAIR ROBERT L. GOLDENBERG DAVID T. REDDEN JEFFREY S. A. STRINGER STEN H. VERMUND A DISSERTATION

Recommended Clinical Guidelines on the Prevention of Perinatal HIV Transmission

BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH Provide the following information for the Senior/key personnel and other significant contributors.

0.14 ( 0.053%) UNAIDS 10% (94) ( ) (73-94/6 ) 8,920

Preventing mother-to-child transmission of HIV

Mother-to-Child HIV Transmission: National and International Progress and Challenges

HIV DRUG RESISTANCE IN AFRICA

1. PICO question. Interventions Reference standard or comparators Outcomes. Study design Other

Pediatric Antiretroviral Resistance Challenges

PSI Health Impact Estimation Model: Use of Nevirapine for Prevention of Mother-to-Child Transmission of HIV

Does screening of pregnant women prevent mother to child transmission of HIV? A study in nsukka urban area of Enugu State, Nigeria.

All HIV+ Women on Antiretroviral Therapy Should Breastfeed in Both Low and High Resource Settings VOTE NO!!

hiv/aids Programme Use of Antiretroviral Drugs for Treating Pregnant Women and Preventing HIV Infection in Infants

HIV ANTENATAL TESTING IN AUSTRALIA AFAO BRIEFING PAPER February 2001

1. Africa Centre for Health and Population Studies 2. London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine 3. University College London

Prevention of Mother to Child Transmission of HIV: Our Experience in South India

HIV PREVENTION. ETHICAL CONSIDERATIONS IN DEVELOPING AN EVIDENCE BASE FOR PrEP IN PREGNANT WOMEN

Antiviral Therapy 13:

Reverse transcriptase and protease inhibitor resistant mutations in art treatment naïve and treated hiv-1 infected children in India A Short Review

Dr HM Sebitloane Chief Specialist (Outreach) Dept of O+G NRMSM

The CIDRZ Experience: use of data to understand patient outcomes and guide program implementation 07 January 2010

HIV Treatment Update. Awewura Kwara, MD, MPH&TM Associate Professor of Medicine and Infectious Diseases Brown University

Recommendations for Use of Antiretroviral Drugs in Pregnant HIV-1-Infected Women for Maternal Health and

Study population The study population comprised HIV-infected pregnant women seeking antenatal care.

Infertility Treatment and HIV

Antiretroviral treatment outcomes after the introduction of tenofovir in the public-sector in South Africa

CUMULATIVE PERINATAL HIV EXPOSURE, AUSTRALIA. Date

Science roadmap on antiretroviral drugs for PMTCT and maternal treatment: current guidance, evidence in development and gaps

Frequency of Viremic Episodes in HIV-Infected Women Initiating Antiretroviral Therapy During Pregnancy: A Cohort Study

Effect of HAART on growth parameters and absolute CD4 count among HIV-infected children in a rural community of central Nigeria

Kathryn Schnippel 1*, Constance Mongwenyana 1, Lawrence C Long 1 and Bruce A Larson 2

Hormonal contraception and HIV disease progression: a multi country analysis of the

PREVENT TRANSMISSION OF HIV/AIDS PREGNANT WOMEN : LITERATUR REVIEW

Prevention of mother-to-child transmission of HIV infection: Ukraine experience to date

THE SOUTH AFRICAN ANTIRETROVIRAL TREATMENT GUIDELINES 2010

Recent Trends in Mother To Child Transmission of HIV in Pregnancy

Downloaded from:

NNRTI Resistance NORTHWEST AIDS EDUCATION AND TRAINING CENTER

PAEDIATRIC HIV INFECTION. Dr Ashendri Pillay Paediatric Infectious Diseases Specialist

Clinical Outcomes and CD4 Cell Response in Children Receiving Antiretroviral Therapy at Primary Health Care Facilities in Zambia

Research Article Challenges in Assessing Outcomes among Infants of Pregnant HIV-Positive Women Receiving ART in Uganda

Mortality risk factors among HIV-exposed infants in rural and urban Cameroon

Visit Reason: Positive Pregnancy Test. HIV Treatment in the Childbearing Woman

HIV infection in pregnancy

Received 24 July 2006/Returned for modification 5 September 2006/Accepted 7 December 2006

Breast-Milk Shedding of Drug-Resistant HIV-1 Subtype C in Women Exposed to Single-Dose Nevirapine

Nevirapine and Zidovudine at Birth to Reduce Perinatal Transmission of HIV in an African Setting

A bs tr ac t. n engl j med 363;16 nejm.org october 14,

Prevention of mother-to-child HIV transmission at primary health care level in Moshi urban Tanzania: uptake challenges and transmission rate

The Global Fund s role as a strategic and responsible investor in HIV/AIDS: Paediatrics and PMTCT

HIV viraemia and mother-to-child transmission risk after antiretroviral therapy initiation in pregnancy in Cape Town, South Africa

Elimination of mother to child transmission of HIV: is the end really in sight? Lisa L. Abuogi, MD University of Colorado, Denver Dec 3, 2014

Women are the fastest-growing group of persons with

Antiretroviral Therapy During Pregnancy and Delivery: 2015 Update

In developed countries, the use of highly active antiretroviral

NIH Public Access Author Manuscript Antivir Ther. Author manuscript; available in PMC 2010 April 26.

Making infant feeding safer progress and challenges in feeding and infant prophylaxis. Dr Lee Fairlie Priorities 2012

Paediatrica Indonesiana. Outcomes of prevention of HIV mother-to-child transmission in Cipto Mangunkusumo Hospital

CCC ARV Dosing Recommendations for HIV-exposed infants Updated

DECLINE IN POSITIVITY RATES AMONG HIV-EXPOSED INFANTS WITH CHANGES IN PMTCT ARV REGIMENS IN NIGERIA: EVIDENCE FROM 7 YEARS OF FIELD IMPLEMENTATION

Obstetrics and HIV An Update. Jennifer Van Horn MD University of Utah

Objective: Specific Aims:

Malaysian Consensus Guidelines on Antiretroviral Therapy Cheng Joo Thye Hospital Raja Permaisuri Bainun Ipoh

Reducing Mother-to Transmission of HIV

Loo k i n g Ba c k, Mo v i n g Fo r wa r d. Im p l e m e n t i n g PMTCT Pr o g r a m s in

Use of a Multidisciplinary Care Model for Pregnant Women Living with HIV & Their Infants Sarah McBeth, MD MPH

RESEARCH ISSUES IN PERINATAL HIV

Sterilization in HIV infected women in Thailand.

Optimizing 2 nd and 3 rd Line Antiretroviral Therapy in Children and Adolescents

Impact of South Africa s PMTCT Programs on Perinatal HIV Transmission: Results of the 1st Year Implementing 2010 WHO Recommended Guidelines

Case Study: A Rapid Rollout of Universal Maternal HAART Improves Outcomes among HIV-Positive Women and Their Infants in Kenya

Outline. Aim with PMTCT. How are children transmitted. Prevention of mother-to-child transmission of HIV. How does HIV transmit to children?

The Cumulative Incidence of HIV Infection in HIVexposed Infants with a Birth Weight of 1500g Receiving Breast Milk and Daily Nevirapine

Prevention of HIV in infants and young children

Date of study period: April 12 May 7, 2010 and August September, 2010

Breast-Feeding and HIV Transmission in Developing Countries

The availability and cost are obstacles to using pvl in monitoring HIV treatment outcomes in resource-constrained settings

Angela Marie Bengtson

HIV-1 drug mutations in children from northern Tanzania

WHAT S NEW IN THE 2015 PERINATAL HIV GUIDELINES?

Discontinuation of cart postpartum in a high prevalence district of South Africa in 2014

during conception, pregnancy and lactation at 2 U.S. medical centers

Funding and Impact of Biomedical and Health Research

Anumber of clinical trials have demonstrated

Original article Therapeutic levels of lopinavir in late pregnancy and abacavir passage into breast milk in the Mma Bana Study, Botswana

Management of NRTI Resistance

Update on Option B+ Successes and Challenges. James McIntyre

Prevention of mother to child transmission of HIV infection

Supplementary Appendix

Progress & challenges in PMTCT: The unfinished agenda

Preterm delivery risk in women initiating antiretroviral therapy to prevent HIV mother-to-child transmission

What will happen to these children?

HIV in Pregnancy. In Practice. Cheryl Roth Pauline F. Hrenchir Christine J. Pacheco

Mother to Child HIV Transmission

What s New. In The 2016 Perinatal HIV Treatment Guidelines? Provided by CDC s Elimination of Perinatal HIV Transmission Stakeholders Group

Transcription:

DOI: 10.1111/j.1471-0528.2010.02835.x www.bjog.org Epidemiology CD4 + cell count and risk for antiretroviral drug resistance among women using peripartum nevirapine for perinatal HIV prevention BJ Dorton, a J Mulindwa, a,b MS Li, a,c NT Chintu, a,c CJ Chibwesha, a,c F Mbewe, a LM Frenkel, d,e JSA Stringer, a,c BH Chi a,c a Centre for Infectious Disease Research in Zambia, Lusaka, Zambia b University Teaching Hospital, Lusaka, Zambia c Schools of Medicine and Public Health, University of Alabama, Birmingham, AL, USA d Seattle Children s Hospital and Research Institute, Seattle, WA, USA e University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA Correspondence: B Dorton, Plot 1275, Lubutu Road, PO Box 34681, Lusaka 10101, Zambia. Email bdorts9@gmail.com Accepted 14 November 2010. Published Online 24 December 2010. Objective To determine the association between the antenatal CD4 + cell count and the development of viral drug resistance following the use of peripartum nevirapine (NVP) for perinatal HIV prevention. Design Secondary analysis of data from a previously conducted randomised controlled trial. Setting Lusaka, Zambia. Population HIV-positive pregnant women. Methods We analysed the data from a clinical trial of single-dose tenofovir/emtricitabine (TDF/FTC) to reduce viral drug resistance associated with peripartum NVP. The trial population was categorised according to antenatal CD4 + cell count (200 350, 351 500 and >500 cells/ll). Main outcome measures The relative risk for acquiring drug resistance, determined by consensus sequencing and oligonucleotide ligation assay (OLA), was estimated using multivariable logistic regression. Results Of the 397 study participants, 119 (30%) had a CD4 + count of 200 350 cells/ll, 135 (34%) had a CD4 + count of 351 500 cells/ll and 143 (36%) had a CD4 + count of >500 cells/ll. Among women receiving no intervention, the risk for drug resistance appeared to increase as the CD4 + cell count decreased. Participants with CD4 + cell counts of 200 350 cells/ll randomised to the study arm had the lowest risk, suggesting a higher efficacy of the intervention within this stratum. These results were consistent at 2 and 6 weeks, regardless of how drug resistance was measured. Conclusions Women with CD4 + cell counts of 200 350 cells/ll may be at increased risk for viral drug resistance following the use of peripartum NVP. Given the high prevalence of NVP resistance and the clear benefits of treatment, antiretroviral therapy should be initiated among pregnant women with CD4 + cell counts of 350 cells/ll. Keywords Antiretroviral therapy, CD4 + cell count, HIV, non-nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitor, prevention of mother-to-child transmission, resistance. Please cite this paper as: Dorton B, Mulindwa J, Li M, Chintu N, Chibwesha C, Mbewe F, Frenkel L, Stringer J, Chi B. CD4 + cell count and risk for antiretroviral drug resistance among women using peripartum nevirapine for perinatal HIV prevention. BJOG 2011;118:495 499. Introduction Whether alone or in combination with other drugs, intrapartum and neonatal nevirapine (NVP) regimens have become a cornerstone for the prevention of mother-tochild transmission (PMTCT) in resource-constrained settings over the past decade. 1 3 Although these regimens have been proven to be effective, they are associated with the selection of NVP-resistant variants in the weeks and months following ingestion; 4,5 when non-nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitor (NNRTI)-based antiretroviral therapy (ART) is used subsequently, treatment outcomes may be compromised. 6 9 To mitigate this risk, the World Health Organization (WHO) has recommended the use of adjuvant antiretroviral regimens (i.e. combination antiretroviral tails ) following single-dose NVP. 10 The severity of HIV disease is an important predictor for NNRTI resistance following the use of peripartum NVP. Higher circulating plasma concentrations of HIV-1 (i.e. viral load) at the time of delivery, for example, have been shown to correlate with increased risk for NNRTI resistance. In a randomised trial, we found that higher circulating viral concentration at delivery was associated with higher rates of NNRTI-related drug resistance at 6 weeks ª 2010 The Authors Journal compilation ª RCOG 2010 BJOG An International Journal of Obstetrics and Gynaecology 495

Dorton et al. postpartum following the use of intrapartum NVP. 11 Similar results have been demonstrated in studies from Uganda, 5 where a log 10 increase in plasma HIV-1 viral load was associated with a 3.97-fold increase in risk [95% confidence interval (95% CI), 1.54 10.20] for resistant virus, and from Cote d Ivoire, 12 where a log 10 increase was associated with a 3.10-fold increase in risk (95% CI, 1.00 13.28). Maternal HIV-1 viral load at delivery, however, is not useful for stratifying the risk for development of NNRTIrelated viral drug resistance, as it is poorly accessible in most settings in which peripartum NVP is used. For this reason, we investigated the association between NNRTIrelated viral drug resistance and another indicator of HIV disease severity: antepartum CD4 + cell count. Methods We analysed the data from a previously reported clinical trial in Lusaka, Zambia. The study design and methods have been described elsewhere. 11,13,14 Briefly, candidates were screened for study eligibility between 28 and 38 weeks and were excluded from consideration if they had previous exposure to any antiretroviral drugs (including for PMTCT) or if they met the Zambian national guidelines to initiate HIV treatment (CD4 + cell count < 200 cells/ll, WHO stage 4; CD4 + cell count < 350 cells/ll and WHO stage 3). According to local guidelines, all study-eligible women were offered short-course antenatal zidovudine (ZDV) and intrapartum NVP for perinatal HIV prevention. Participants were randomly allocated to receive either single-dose tenofovir/emtricitabine (TDF/FTC) or no study drug alongside routinely prescribed intrapartum NVP when they presented in active labour at the delivery ward. No additional antiretroviral drugs were given in the subsequent postpartum period. Postpartum follow-up included visits at 2 and 6 weeks, when maternal specimens were collected for drug resistance testing. These included standard consensus sequencing 11 and an ultrasensitive oligonucleotide ligation assay (OLA) capable of detecting quasi-species populations of 2% or greater. 13 For consensus sequencing, samples were identified as NNRTI resistant if they contained the mutations L100I, K103N, V106A/M, V108I, Y181C/I, Y188C/L/H, G190A, P225H or P236L. 11 For OLA, virus was categorised as NNRTI resistant if it tested positive for K103N (AAY sequence), V106M (ATG sequence), Y181C (TGY sequence) or G190A (GCA sequence) mutations. 13 Individuals below the viral load threshold of 2000 copies/ml for consensus sequencing and 1000 copies/ml for OLA were categorised as nonresistant. We stratified our population according to antenatal CD4 + cell count: 200 350, 351 500 and >500 cells/ll. Because ART eligibility was an exclusion criterion for our study as these women were offered immediate ART - none of our study participants had a CD4 + cell count of <200 cells/ll. CD4 + classifications were based on documented results from up to 3 months prior to study enrolment. Using multivariable logistic regression, we sought to determine associations between CD4 + cell count and NNRTI resistance at 2 and 6 weeks. In a preliminary analysis, we observed differences in efficacy of the TDF/FTC intervention across CD4 + cell count strata (Figure 1), suggesting that it is an effect modifier in the relationship between antenatal CD4 + cell count and NNRTI resistance postpartum. For this reason, we stratified our analysis by both CD4 + cell count and study arm, modelling consensus sequencing and OLA outcomes separately. Statistical analyses were performed using sas version 9.1.3 (SAS Institute Inc., Cary, NC, USA). The study was approved by the Figure 1. Efficacy of adjuvant single-dose tenofovir-emtricitabine (TDF/FTC) stratified across different antenatal CD4 + cell counts, using the control arm as the reference group. The relative risk (black diamond) and 95% confidence interval (error bars) are shown for each CD4 + strata. This analysis demonstrates that our TDF/FTC intervention was an effect modifier in the relationship between antenatal CD4 + cell count and viral drug resistance. Our study intervention appeared to have greater efficacy among those with lower antenatal CD4 + cell counts (i.e. 200 350 cells/ll) at both 2 and 6 weeks postpartum, regardless of the assay used to detect viral drug resistance. 496 ª 2010 The Authors Journal compilation ª RCOG 2010 BJOG An International Journal of Obstetrics and Gynaecology

CD4 + cell count and drug resistance after peripartum NVP University of Zambia Research Ethics Committee (Lusaka, Zambia) and the Institutional Review Boards at the University of Alabama at Birmingham (Birmingham, AL, USA), the Children s Hospital Los Angeles (Los Angeles, CA, USA) and the Seattle Children s Hospital (Seattle, WA, USA). Results Between 16 March 2005 and 13 February 2007, 397 HIVinfected women met the eligibility criteria and were randomised to one of the two study arms. As reported previously, the maternal, infant and delivery characteristics between the two groups were not significantly different. When the intervention and control arms were compared, they were found to be similar across key demographic and medical characteristics, including age (median 26 years versus 24 years, P = 0.16), gravidity (median 3 versus 3, P = 0.71) and parity (median 2 versus 2, P = 0.69). 11 Of the 397 study participants, 119 (30%) had a CD4 + cell count of 200 350 cells/ll, 135 (34%) had a CD4 + cell count of 351 500 cells/ll and 143 (36%) had a CD4 + cell count of >500 cells/ll. For consensus sequencing, results for 347 (87%) specimens were available at 2 weeks and 339 (85%) at 6 weeks. For OLA, results for 328 (83%) specimens were available at 2 weeks and 315 (79%) at 6 weeks. Reasons for missing results included missed visit, lost specimen, polymerase chain reaction amplification failure and indeterminate results. 11,13 When measured by consensus sequencing, the prevalence of NNRTI resistance at 2 weeks postpartum was 6% (7/ 121) for women with CD4 + cell counts of >500 cells/ll, 7% (8/120) for women with CD4 + cell counts of 351 500 cells/ll and 11% (12/106) for women with CD4 + cell counts of 200 350 cells/ll (P for trend, 0.13). At 6 weeks postpartum, the prevalence was 13% (16/122) for women with CD4 + cell counts of >500 cells/ll, 17% (20/ 117) for women with CD4 + cell counts of 351 500 cells/ll and 25% (25/100) for women with CD4 + cell counts of 200 350 cells/ll (P for trend, 0.02). When measured by OLA, the prevalence of NNRTI resistance at 2 weeks postpartum was 10% (11/114) for women with CD4 + cell counts of >500 cells/ll, 13% (15/116) for women with CD4 + cell counts of 351 500 cells/ll and 14% (14/98) for women with CD4 + cell counts of 200 350 cells/ll (P for trend, 0.30). At 6 weeks postpartum, the prevalence was 24% (27/ 112) for women with CD4 + cell counts of >500 cells/ll, 32% (35/109) for women with CD4 + cell counts of 351 500 cells/ll and 35% (33/94) for women with CD4 + cell counts of 200 350 cells/ll (P for trend, 0.08). To account appropriately for the effect modification by TDF/FTC intervention, we stratified the population by both antenatal CD4 + cell count and the study arm. Women with CD4 + cell counts of >500 cells/ll, who were randomised to the control arm, served as the reference group, and all comparisons were adjusted for HIV-1 viral load at delivery. Several trends are noteworthy (Table 1). Within the control arm, the risk for NNRTI resistance increased as the CD4 + Table 1. Risk for non-nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitor (NNRTI)-related viral drug resistance according to study arm allocation and CD4 + cell count Study arm Antenatal CD4 + cell count (cells/ll) Two-week NNRTI resistance Prevalence (%) Adjusted* odds ratio (95% CI) Six-week NNRTI resistance Prevalence (%) Adjusted* odds ratio (95% CI) Consensus sequencing** Control >500 5/69 (7.3) Reference 12/69 (17.4) Reference 351 500 5/53 (9.4) 1.45 (0.36 5.88) 11/53 (20.8) 1.20 (0.46 3.15) 200 350 11/47 (23.4) 3.54 (1.01 12.43) 18/44 (40.9) 2.67 (1.07 6.67) Intervention >500 2/52 (3.9) 0.54 (0.09 3.18) 4/53 (7.6) 0.39 (0.11 1.35) 351 500 3/67 (4.5) 0.53 (0.11 2.58) 9/64 (14.1) 0.65 (0.24 1.76) 200 350 1/59 (1.7) 0.19 (0.02 1.83) 7/56 (12.5) 0.45 (0.15 1.35) Oligonucleotide ligation assay*** Control >500 7/64 (10.9) Reference 19/64 (29.7) Reference 351 500 9/51 (17.7) 1.90 (0.57 6.39) 22/51 (43.1) 2.17 (0.93 5.06) 200 350 12/44 (27.3) 3.50 (1.10 11.16) 25/45 (55.6) 2.80 (1.19 6.56) Intervention >500 4/50 (8.0) 0.98 (0.24 3.96) 8/48 (16.7) 0.58 (0.22 1.57) 351 500 6/65 (9.2) 0.97 (0.27 3.47) 13/58 (22.4) 0.60 (0.24 1.48) 200 350 2/54 (3.7) 0.33 (0.06 1.86) 8/49 (16.3) 0.38 (0.14 1.04) *Adjusted for HIV-1 viral load at delivery. **All specimens under 2000 copies/ml were considered to be nonresistant. ***All specimens under 1000 copies/ml were considered to be nonresistant. ª 2010 The Authors Journal compilation ª RCOG 2010 BJOG An International Journal of Obstetrics and Gynaecology 497

Dorton et al. cell count decreased categorically. Among women randomised to the TDF/FTC study intervention, the risk for NNRTI resistance was substantially lower in the CD4 + 200 350 cells/ll category. These trends were consistent at 2 and 6 weeks, when NNRTI resistance was measured by both consensus sequencing and OLA. Discussion Women with lower CD4 + cell counts during pregnancy appeared to be at greater risk for NNRTI-related viral drug resistance following the use of short-course antenatal ZDV and peripartum NVP for perinatal HIV prevention, although this trend did not reach statistical significance. We demonstrated the highest risk for viral drug resistance at the lowest CD4 + stratum (i.e. 200 350 cells/ll) among women receiving no intervention, with 6-week estimates of 41% by consensus sequencing and 56% by ultrasensitive OLA. The fact that the efficacy of our single-dose TDF/FTC intervention was most pronounced among women within this lowest CD4 + stratum was reassuring. However, these results emphasise the importance of risk stratification by antenatal CD4 + screening and the initiation of ART for all women with CD4 + cell counts of 350 cells/ll during pregnancy. Although we analysed data from a rigorously conducted randomised trial, there were several limitations to this study. Consistent with our previous analyses, 11,13 we considered all specimens below a specific HIV-1 viral load threshold (<2000 copies/ml for consensus sequencing and <1000 copies/ml for OLA) as nonresistant. To keep our analysis consistent with previous work, we also used the different HIV-1 viral load thresholds for consensus sequencing (<2000 copies/ml) and OLA (<1000 copies/ml). As the two analyses are parallel and we did not compare the results obtained by the two assays these differences did not affect our findings. We did not collect data regarding the duration of HIV infection among our participants, a potential confounder to our analysis. However, most of our participants were newly diagnosed with HIV in this index pregnancy and, given their relatively healthy status, were probably early in the course of the disease. Finally, because the study did not stratify enrolment according to antenatal CD4 + cell count, our sample size was relatively small within each CD4 + category. Larger populations should be studied to better understand the relationship between CD4 + cell count and selection for NNRTI-related viral drug resistance, to confirm the trends observed in this analysis. The objective of this study was to identify individuals at high risk for selection for NNRTI-related viral drug resistance following the use of short-course antenatal ZDV and peripartum NVP. We stratified our study population by baseline CD4 + cell count, as it is an important indicator of HIV disease progression and has become an important component of PMTCT programmes worldwide. 15 Among women included in our analysis, those with the lowest CD4 + cell counts (i.e. 200 350 cells/ll) during pregnancy appeared to have the highest risk for NNRTI drug resistance in the postpartum period, although this did not reach statistical significance. Women with CD4 + cell counts lower than 200 cells/ll were not eligible for our study as, according to the Zambian national guidelines, ART was indicated. However, the even greater risk for NNRTI resistance can probably be extrapolated. In a report of the Treatment Options Preservation Study (TOPS), for example, McIntyre et al. 16 demonstrated substantially higher rates of NNRTI resistance when comparing women with CD4 + counts of 200 cells/ll with those with CD4 + counts of >200 cells/ll, even when provided with a tail of adjuvant ZDV lamivudine (3TC) afterwards. Conclusions These results provide further support for ART eligibility among pregnant women with CD4 + cell counts of 350 cells/ll. Although recent WHO guidelines for PMTCT have adopted this higher CD4 + threshold, timely initiation of ART remains a challenge in many African settings. 10 Laboratory capacity to perform CD4 + screening may not be available; 17 even when such services are accessible, PMTCT and ART may be housed in separate departments and referral systems may be inefficient. 18,19 Novel public health strategies are urgently needed to bridge this gap. 20 In settings in which ART is poorly accessible for pregnant women, or in settings in which the <200 cell/ll threshold is still employed to determine ART eligibility, the use of antiretroviral tail regimens for peripartum NVP are critically needed to reduce selection for NNRTI-related viral drug resistance, particularly for women with CD4 + cell counts between 200 and 350 cells/ll. Disclosure of interests None of the authors have declared financial conflicts of interest. Contribution to authorship BJD interpreted the analysis, drafted the paper and substantially revised the manuscript. JM participated substantially in data interpretation and manuscript revision. MSL analysed the study data, interpreted the analysis and substantially revised the manuscript. FM implemented the study, interpreted the analysis and substantially revised the manuscript. NTC designed the study, interpreted the analysis and substantially revised the manuscript. CJC participated substantially in data interpretation and manuscript revision. LMF participated substantially in data interpretation and manuscript revision. JSAS designed the study, interpreted the analysis and substantially revised the manuscript. BHC 498 ª 2010 The Authors Journal compilation ª RCOG 2010 BJOG An International Journal of Obstetrics and Gynaecology

CD4 + cell count and drug resistance after peripartum NVP designed the study, interpreted the analysis, drafted the paper and substantially revised the manuscript. Details of ethics approval This study was approved by the University of Zambia Research Ethics Committee (Lusaka, Zambia) on 23 September 2004, reference number 005-06-04, and the Institutional Review Board at the University of Alabama at Birmingham (Birmingham, AL, USA) on 26 July 2004, IRB identification number IRB00000726. Funding The clinical trial (www.clinicaltrials.gov registration number NCT00204308) described in this article was funded by the Elizabeth Glaser Pediatric AIDS Foundation (EGSA19-02). Additional investigator salary or trainee support was provided by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) through the International Clinical Research Fellows Program at Vanderbilt University (R24 TW007988), a Fogarty International Research Scientist Development Award (K01 TW006670) and a Clinical Scientist Development Award from the Doris Duke Charitable Foundation (2007061). OLAs were supported by NIH awards R01 AI058723 and U01 AI068632. Funding agencies played no role in the study design, data collection, data analysis or manuscript writing. Acknowledgements We acknowledge Mark Giganti and Andrew Westfall for their assistance in data analysis. We also thank Grace Aldrovandi and Giovanina Ellis for their role in performing and interpreting HIV resistance assays. j References 1 Lallemant M, Jourdain G, Le Coeur S, Mary JY, Ngo-Giang-Huong N, Koetsawang S et al. Single-dose perinatal nevirapine plus standard zidovudine to prevent mother-to-child transmission of HIV-1 in Thailand. N Engl J Med 2004;351:217 28. 2 Jackson JB, Musoke P, Fleming T, Guay LA, Bagenda D, Allen M, et al. Intrapartum and neonatal single-dose nevirapine compared with zidovudine for prevention of mother-to-child transmission of HIV-1 in Kampala, Uganda: 18-month follow-up of the HIVNET 012 randomised trial. Lancet 2003;362:859 68. 3 Guay LA, Musoke P, Fleming T, Bagenda D, Allen M, Nakabiito C, et al. Intrapartum and neonatal single-dose nevirapine compared with zidovudine for prevention of mother-to-child transmission of HIV-1 in Kampala, Uganda: HIVNET 012 randomised trial. Lancet 1999;354:795 802. 4 Arrive E, Newell ML, Ekouevi DK, Chaix ML, Thiebaut R, Masquelier B, et al. Prevalence of resistance to nevirapine in mothers and children after single-dose exposure to prevent vertical transmission of HIV-1: a meta-analysis. Int J Epidemiol 2007;36:1009 21. 5 Eshleman SH, Mracna M, Guay LA, Deseyve M, Cunningham S, Mirochnick M, et al. Selection and fading of resistance mutations in women and infants receiving nevirapine to prevent HIV-1 vertical transmission (HIVNET 012). AIDS 2001;15:1951 7. 6 Chi BH, Sinkala M, Stringer EM, Cantrell RA, Mtonga V, Bulterys M, et al. Early clinical and immune response to NNRTI-based antiretroviral therapy among women with prior exposure to single-dose nevirapine. AIDS 2007;21:957 64. 7 Stringer JS, McConnell MS, Kiarie J, Bolu O, Anekthananon T, Jariyasethpong T, et al. Effectiveness of non-nucleoside reverse-transcriptase inhibitor-based antiretroviral therapy in women previously exposed to a single intrapartum dose of nevirapine: a multi-country, prospective cohort study. PLoS Med 2010;7:e1000233. 8 Lockman S. Lopinavir/ritonavir + tenofovir/emtricitabine is superior to nevirapine + tenofovir/emtricitabine for women with prior exposure to single-dose nevirapine: A5208 ( OCTANE ) 16th Conference on Retroviruses and Opportunistic Infections, 2009, Montreal, Canada. Abstract 94LB. 9 Lockman S, Shapiro RL, Smeaton LM, Wester C, Thior I, Stevens L, et al. Response to antiretroviral therapy after a single, peripartum dose of nevirapine. N Engl J Med 2007;356:135 47. 10 World Health Organization. Rapid Advice Use of Antiretroviral Drugs for Treating Pregnant Women and Preventing HIV Infections in Infants. Geneva: World Health Organization, 2009. 11 Chi BH, Sinkala M, Mbewe F, Cantrell RA, Kruse G, Chintu N, et al. Single-dose tenofovir and emtricitabine for reduction of viral resistance to non-nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitor drugs in women given intrapartum nevirapine for perinatal HIV prevention: an open-label randomised trial. Lancet 2007;370:1698 705. 12 Chaix ML, Ekouevi DK, Peytavin G, Rouet F, Tonwe-Gold B, Viho I, et al. Impact of nevirapine (NVP) plasma concentration on selection of resistant virus in mothers who received single-dose NVP to prevent perinatal human immunodeficiency virus type 1 transmission and persistence of resistant virus in their infected children. Antimicrob Agents Chemother 2007;51:896 901. 13 Chi BH, Ellis GM, Chintu N, Cantrell RA, Sinkala M, Aldrovandi GM, et al. Intrapartum tenofovir and emtricitabine reduces low-concentration drug resistance selected by single-dose nevirapine for perinatal HIV prevention. AIDS Res Hum Retroviruses 2009;25:1099 106. 14 Chi BH, Chintu N, Cantrell RA, Kankasa C, Kruse G, Mbewe F, et al. Addition of single-dose tenofovir and emtricitabine to intrapartum nevirapine to reduce perinatal HIV transmission. J Acquir Immune Defic Syndr 2008;48:220 3. 15 World Health Organization. Antiretroviral Drugs for Treating Pregnant Women and Preventing HIV Infection in Infants in Resource- Limited Settings: Towards Universal Access. Geneva: World Health Organization, 2006. 16 McIntyre JA, Hopley M, Moodley D, Eklund M, Gray GE, Hall DB, et al. Efficacy of short-course AZT plus 3TC to reduce nevirapine resistance in the prevention of mother-to-child HIV transmission: a randomized clinical trial. PLoS Med 2009;6:e1000172. 17 Mandala J, Torpey K, Kasonde P, Kabaso M, Dirks R, Suzuki C, et al. Prevention of mother-to-child transmission of HIV in Zambia: implementing efficacious ARV regimens in primary health centers. BMC Public Health 2009;9:314. 18 Ginsburg AS, Hoblitzelle CW, Sripipatana TL, Wilfert CM. Provision of care following prevention of mother-to-child HIV transmission services in resource-limited settings. AIDS 2007;21:2529 32. 19 Abrams EJ, Myer L, Rosenfield A, El-Sadr WM. Prevention of mother-to-child transmission services as a gateway to family-based human immunodeficiency virus care and treatment in resourcelimited settings: rationale and international experiences. Am J Obstet Gynecol 2007;197:S101 6. 20 Killam WP, Tambatamba BC, Chintu N, Rouse D, Stringer E, Bweupe M, et al. Antiretroviral therapy in antenatal care to increase treatment initiation in HIV-infected pregnant women: a stepped-wedge evaluation. AIDS 2010;24:85 91. ª 2010 The Authors Journal compilation ª RCOG 2010 BJOG An International Journal of Obstetrics and Gynaecology 499