Current antiretroviral therapy (ART) treatment guidelines and practice have resulted in a pronounced shift from use of tenofovir disoproxil fumarate (TDF – Truvada®) to tenofovir alafenamide (TAF – Descovy®), which is associated with less bone and renal toxicity. Recently, concerns have been raised about increased cholesterol and body weight linked to TAF relative to TDF. In this study, investigators examined changes in cholesterol, body weight, body-mass index (BMI), and American College of Cardiology atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD) risk score in ART-experienced persons living with HIV who switched from TDF to TAF at an academic-based HIV clinic. Before the switch, participants had been on an effective TDF-containing regimen, defined as on TDF >1 year with at least two consecutive HIV RNA levels <200 copies/mL and no levels >200 copies/mL in the previous year.
A total of 110 patients (58% African American; 73% male; mean age, 50; median baseline body weight, 185 pounds; median BMI, 28 kg/m2) met study criteria. During the year after the switch, significant increases were observed in average total cholesterol (by 12.5 mg/dL), LDL cholesterol (by 8.2 mg/dL), HDL cholesterol (by 3 mg/dL), weight (by 3 pounds), BMI (by 0.5 kg/m2), and ASCVD risk score (by 0.4 points). In regression models, switching from TDF to TAF was associated with a 0.45 kg/m2 BMI increase and a 13% increase in ASCVD risk score.
Source: Schafer JJ et al. Changes in body mass index and atherosclerotic disease risk score after switching from tenofovir disoproxil fumarate to tenofovir alafenamide. Open Forum Infect Dis 2019 Oct 4; 6:ofz414. (https://doi.org/10.1093/ofid/ofz414)
Summary appeared in NEJM Journal Watch – 20191120
Comments: This is a retrospective and small study, with caveats – the majority are African American, male, older, high BMI, only one year follow up- yet the results showing a concerning trend and should be verified by larger and more inclusive study- of note, this is from people with HIV infection, and it may or may not apply for those taking Pre-exposure prophylaxis (PreP). BA
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