IMPAACT P1063: Safety and Effectiveness of Atorvastatin in HIV Infected Children and Adolescents With Hyperlipidemia

Antiretroviral regimens, particularly those containing PIs, often cause hyperlipidemia, which is an increase in the amount of fat (such as cholesterol and triglycerides) in the blood. These increases can lead to heart disease and pancreatitis. Although the mechanism by which PIs cause hyperlipidemia is not clearly understood, there are medications to combat this side effect. The primary purpose of this study was to evaluate the safety and effectiveness of escalating doses of atorvastatin, based on low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) levels, in HIV-infected children receiving stable antiretroviral therapy. Participants were assigned to one of two groups based on age (10 to 14 years or 15 to 23 years) and were treated for a maximum of 48 weeks. The first six participants enrolled in the study were in the 15 to 23 year old age group. Once safety data through week 8 on these 6 participants was analyzed, the remaining participants were enrolled. All participants received atorvastatin in combination with a stable antiretroviral regimen. Each participant was followed independently according to a dose escalation algorithm for atorvastatin. Participants began dosing at 10 mg daily. If efficacy criteria were not met, dosing increased to 20 mg daily at week 8. Since dose escalations were done within subject, safety and efficacy rates were presented for the dose-escalation strategy overall and not for individual doses. Atorvastatin was provided by the study, but antiretrovirals were not. Study visits occurred at study entry and weeks 4, 8, 12, 24, 36, and 48. Safety labs were collected at all study visits. Blood collection for lipid measurements occurred at weeks 4, 12, 24 and 48.