Low-Level Viremia Is Associated With Cumulative Adherence to Antiretroviral Therapy in Persons With HIV

The drivers of low-level viremia (LLV) between 20 and 200 copies/mL remain unclear. In 1042 person-visits from 497 persons with HIV on tenofovir disoproxil fumarate-containing antiretroviral therapy (ART), the association between LLV and cumulative antiretroviral adherence (quantified using tenofovir diphosphate [TFV-DP] in dried blood spots) was assessed. Lower TFV-DP levels were associated with higher odds of LLV. As TFV-DP (fmol/punch) categories decreased from >1650 to 800-1650; 800-1650 to <800; and >1650 to <800, the adjusted odds ratios for LLV vs HIV VL <20 copies/mL were 2.0 (95% CI, 1.2-3.1), 2.4 (95% CI, 1.1-5.0), and 4.6 (95% CI, 2.2-9.9), respectively. This suggests that adherence could impact LLV.