Effect of single tablet regimen on prescription trends for treatment-naive patients with HIV/AIDS in Korea

Single-tablet regimens (STRs) should be considered for patients with HIV/AIDS to increase medication compliance and improve clinical outcomes. This study compared variations in the prescription trends between STRs and multiple-tablet regimens (MTRs) for treatment-naive patients with HIV/AIDS after the approval of the new STRs, a proxy indicator for improvement in medication adherence. The medical and pharmacy claim data were retrospectively obtained from the Health Insurance Review and Assessment service, which contains basic information on the patients' sociodemographic characteristics and treatment information for the entire Korean population. From 2013 to 2018, a total of 6737 patients with HIV/AIDS were included. Most patients were men (92.8%, n = 6251) and insured through the National Health Insurance (95.1%, n = 6410). The mean number of pills in their antiretroviral treatment regimens decreased from 2.8 +/- 1.2 in 2013 to 1.2 +/- 1.0 in 2018. After the first STR (EVG/c/TDF/FTC) was approved in 2014, prescription transitions from MTR to STR were observed among more than 38% of patients. In 2018, most treatment-naive patients were prescribed STRs (91.2%). There was a time lag for STR prescription trends in non-metropolitan hospitals compared with those in metropolitan cities. Our data provide a valuable perspective for evaluating ART regimen prescription patterns on a national scale.

Automated summary

This study compared prescription trends between single-tablet regimens (STRs) and multiple-tablet regimens (MTRs) for treatment-naive patients with HIV/AIDS following the approval of new STRs. The results showed a significant increase in the use of STRs among patients after the approval, with most treatment-naive patients being prescribed STRs in 2018. Additionally, there was a time lag for prescription trends in non-metropolitan hospitals compared to metropolitan cities. The data provide valuable insights for evaluating national ART regimen prescription patterns.