Hyperbilirubinemia is frequently observed in Caucasian HIV patients treated with atazanavir. UDP-glucuronosyltransferase 1A1 polymorphism, UGT1A1*28, which is associated with atazanavir-induced hyperbilirubinemia, is less common in Asians than in Caucasians. However, little is known about the incidence of atazanavir-associated hyperbilirubinemia in Asian populations. Our objective was to investigate the incidence of and tolerability of atazanavir-associated hyperbilirubinemia in Korean HIV patients. The prevalence and cumulative incidence of atazanavir-associated hyperbilirubinemia and UGT1A1*28 allele frequency was investigated in 190 Korean HIV-infected patients treated with atazanavir 400 mg per day. The UGT1A1*28 were examined by direct sequencing of DNA from peripheral whole blood. The UGT1A1*28 allele frequency was 11%. The cumulative incidence of any grade of hyperbilirubinemia was 77%, 89%, 98%, and 100%, at 3, 12, 24, and 30 months, respectively. The cumulative incidence of severe (grade 3-4) hyperbilirubinemia was 21%, 41%, 66%, and 75%, at 3, 12, 24, and 30 months, respectively. However, the point prevalence of severe hyperbilirubinemia did not increase with time and remained around 25%. Our data suggest that atazanavir-associated hyperbilirubinemia is common but transient in a population with low UGT1A1*28 allele frequency.
Keywords: Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome; Atazanavir; HIV; Hyperbilirubinemia; Jaundice.