Food intake and darunavir plasma concentrations in people living with HIV in an outpatient setting

Aims: Patients receiving darunavir are advised to take it concomitantly with food. The objectives of the present cross-sectional study were to evaluate the actual concomitant food intake of patients visiting an HIV outpatient clinic. Methods: Sixty participants treated with darunavir/ritonavir once daily were subjected to a food recall questionnaire concerning their last concomitant food intake with darunavir. Darunavir trough concentrations were calculated. Results: The median food intake was 507 (0–2707) kcal; protein intake, 20 (0–221)g; carbohydrate intake, 62 (0–267)g; fat intake: 14 (0–143)g; and dietary fibre: 4 (0–30)g. Twenty-five patients (42%) ingested their drug with between-meal snacks. No relationship was found between food intake and trough concentrations. Conclusions: Clear advice on the optimal caloric intake is needed, to avoid high caloric intake in patients who already have an increased risk of cardiovascular disease due to their HIV infection.