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).