Cabotegravir plus rilpivirine injections in 108 people with HIV in Japan: 95.8% of visits on schedule
A retrospective cohort at a tertiary HIV center in Japan was followed for a median of 45 months; 97.8% of HIV RNA measurements were below 50 copies/mL.
A retrospective cohort study published in AIDS Research and Therapy evaluated long-acting injectable cabotegravir plus rilpivirine (CAB + RPV) in routine clinical care at a tertiary HIV center in Japan. It included 108 people with HIV who received the regimen between July 2022 and August 2026. Median follow-up was 45 months (IQR, 30–47) biomedcentral.com
AIDS Research and Therapybiomedcentral.comOpen source ↗.
During follow-up, 12 participants (11.1%) discontinued CAB + RPV. The authors focused on injection adherence, transient and low-level viremia, and longitudinal changes in lymphocyte counts and renal biomarkers. Changes over time were assessed with generalized estimating equation (GEE) models and linear mixed-effects models.
Injection adherence and viral load
Of 2,041 scheduled visits, 95.8% took place within the recommended dosing window, 2.94% were early and 1.22% were late. GEE logistic regression showed no significant association between injection visit number and late administration.
Among 2,008 HIV RNA measurements, 97.8% were below 50 copies/mL, including 77.0% in which the target was not detected biomedcentral.com
AIDS Research and Therapybiomedcentral.comOpen source ↗. Three measurements of 200 copies/mL or higher occurred in one participant, without consecutive elevations or virological failure. GEE analysis showed no significant change over time in HIV RNA of 50 copies/mL or higher.
Lymphocyte counts and renal biomarkers
Linear mixed-effects model analysis showed stable CD4 counts, decreased CD8 counts and an increased CD4/CD8 ratio. Serum creatinine decreased initially after the switch to CAB + RPV, as reflected in the Month 5 comparison, while cystatin C remained unchanged.
The authors report that in this real-world cohort CAB + RPV use was characterized by high injection adherence and sustained virological control. They found no adverse longitudinal changes in the measured immunological and renal biomarkers over up to four years.
