Related Experiment Video
Updated: Aug 10, 2025

Oral Combinational Antiretroviral Treatment in HIV-1 Infected Humanized Mice
Published on: October 6, 2022
Weight Change Following Switch to Dolutegravir for HIV Treatment in Rural Kenya During Country Roll-Out
Matthew D Hickey1, Erick Wafula2, Sabina M Ogachi2
1Division of HIV, Infectious Disease, & Global Medicine, University of California, San Francisco, CA.
Introduction:
Switch to dolutegravir (DTG) in treatment-experienced people living with HIV (PLH) is associated with excess weight gain in some settings; data are limited from rural low-income settings with low obesity prevalence.
Methods:
In rural Kenya, we conducted a retrospective cohort study at 8 HIV clinics and a single-site prospective cohort study including adults switching to DTG during countrywide transition to DTG/tenofovir DF(TDF)/emtricitabine as first-line HIV treatment. In the retrospective analysis, we used preswitch data to model postswitch weight trajectory had each participant not switched to DTG and contrasted observed vs. predicted postswitch weight. In the prospective analysis, we measured weight post-DTG switch and evaluated predictors of 6-month weight change.
Results:
Our retrospective cohort included 4445 PLH who switched to DTG between 2018 and 2020. Mean 12-month weight change was 0.6 kg preswitch and 0.8 kg postswitch. Among those on TDF throughout (n = 3374; 83% on efavirenz preswitch), 12-month postswitch weight was 0.7 kg more than predicted for women (95% CI: 0.4, 1.0) and similar among men (0.04 kg; 95% CI -0.3, 0.4). In our prospective cohort (n = 135, 100% female), mean 6-month weight change was +0.4 kg (IQR -1.1, 2.0 kg). Predicted gain varied by baseline food insecurity: +1.1 kg (95% CI: 0.34, 1.87) among food secure, -0.09 kg (95% CI -0.71, 0.54) among moderate insecure, and +0.27 kg (95% CI -0.82, 1.36) among severe insecurity.
Conclusion:
In contrast to some reports of large weight gain following switch to DTG, we observed small weight increases in women and no weight change in men following DTG switch when on TDF throughout. Weight gain may be attenuated by food insecurity, though was modest even among food secure.
Related Concept Videos
Dosage Regimen: Fixed Dose
Fixed-dose regimens can be used for various routes of administration, including intravenous (IV) injections and oral medications. For IV administration, a predetermined amount of the drug is...
Insulin: Dosing Regimen and Adverse Effects
The basal dose constitutes about 40%-50% of the total daily dose, with the rest as premeal insulin. The mealtime insulin dose should mirror...
Drug Dosage Regimen: Overview
Typically, the starting dose and dosing interval are guided by the manufacturer's recommendations based on clinical trials conducted during and after drug...
Bias in Epidemiological Studies
Rational Dosage Regimen: Maintenance Dose and Loading Dose
In most cases, drugs are administered repetitively or infused continuously to maintain a steady-state concentration in the body. At a steady...
Pulmonary Tuberculosis IV
Several diagnostic approaches are used to detect TB. The conventional method is the Tuberculin Skin Test (TST), also known as the Mantoux test. However, this method has...

