Nevirapine Levels After Discontinuation of Rifampicin Therapy and 60-week Efficacy of Nevirapine-based Antiretroviral Therapy in HIV-infected Patients with Tuberculosis

Seventy patients with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and tuberculosis coinfection who initiated nevirapine-based antiretroviral therapy and had trough nevirapine levels determined while receiving rifampicin were enrolled in a study. After discontinuation of rifampicin therapy, mean nevirapine levels (+/- standard deviation) increased from 5.4+/-3.5 mg/L to 6.4+/-3.4 mg/L (P=.047), but no nevirapine-related adverse events occurred. There was no statistically significant difference in 60-week antiviral efficacy between these patients and patients receiving nevirapine-based antiretroviral therapy alone (P>.05).