OBJECTIVES: To characterise differences between people living with HIV (PLWH) receiving B/FTC/TAF, and those receiving other STR (47.0% INSTI, 7.8% PI, 31.0% NNRTI, 14.2% INSTI/NNRTI) in the United States (USA), using real-world data.

METHODS: Data were drawn from the Adelphi HIV Disease Specific Programme™, a real-world, point-in-time survey including retrospective clinical data run between July 2021 and March 2022. Physicians (n=60) provided data for ten sequential PLWH, including demographics, clinical characteristics, and satisfaction with anti-retroviral therapy (ART). PLWH completed surveys on a voluntary basis capturing perspectives on quality of life (QoL) (HIV-specific QoL captured using PozQol; generic QoL using EQ-5D), treatment satisfaction and work productivity and activity impairment. Comparisons were made using Fisher’s exact and Mann-Whitney tests.

RESULTS: The B/FTC/TAF population (BP: n=264) were younger than the other STR population (SP: n=281) (BP mean age, years, standard deviation [SD]: 43.11 [12.6]; SP: 45.96 [12.41]; p<0.05); a higher proportion were on first-line ART (BP: 66.3%; SP: 55.9%; p<0.05). Key reasons for choice of ART were virologic potency (BP: 59.1%; SP: 43.4%; p<0.01), tolerability (BP: 54.2%; SP: 48.8%; p>0.05) and clear dosing instructions (BP: 52.7%; SP: 42.3%; p<0.05). BP had significantly higher QoL, PozQoL (BP: 3.51; SP: 3.24; p=0.01) and EQ-5D (BP: 0.89; SP: 0.82; p<0.01) and lower activity impairment (BP: 12.2%; SP: 22.2%; p<0.01). Higher physician satisfaction with current ART was seen for B/FTC/TAF, with 61.0% and 53.2% of physicians very satisfied with treatment in BP and SP, respectively (p<0.05). No difference in treatment satisfaction was seen in PLWH, with 56.5% (n=108) of BP and 52.1% (n=117) of SP reporting being very satisfied (p>0.05).

CONCLUSIONS: PLWH receiving B/FTC/TAF demonstrated better QoL and lower activity impairment than people receiving other STR. This provides real-world evidence to support the use of B/FTC/TAF in the treatment of HIV in the USA.