Pharmacokinetics of once-daily lopinavir/ritonavir and the influence of dose modifications.

We studied the pharmacokinetics of lopinavir/ritonavir dosed at 800/200 mg a day in 20 HIV-1-infected patients, and evaluated the effect of dose modifications in the case of trough concentration (Ctrough) levels less than 1.0 mg/l. Ctrough levels after the daily administration of lopinavir/ritonavir were lower than with twice daily administration. Dose modifications in four patients with Ctrough levels less than 1.0 mg/l succeeded in only one patient. Therapeutic drug monitoring can identify patients with lower-than-expected lopinavir exposure in a larger study.