Treatment satisfaction and needs among people living with HIV who have incomplete viral load suppression in Japan: A multicenter, cross-sectional, observational study

Objective: This study aimed to evaluate the association between viral-load (VL)-suppression status and treatment satisfaction, depression, anxiety, and treatment needs in people living with HIV (PLWH). Methods: A multicenter, cross-sectional study was conducted from April to December 2021. Eligible patients were classified into two groups based on their VL in the year prior to answering the questionnaires: those with all VL < 50 copies/mL (complete-VL-suppression group) and those with at least one VL >= 50 copies/mL (incomplete-VL-suppression group). The HIV Treatment Satisfaction Questionnaire: Status (HIVTSQs), the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9), the Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7 (GAD-7), and the drug formulation needs were compared between the two groups. Results: Of the 534 patients included in the analysis, 467 and 67 were classified into the complete and incomplete-VL-suppression groups, respectively. The total HIVTSQs scores (median [interquartile range (IQR)]) were 59.0 [53.0-64.0] and 56.0 [52.0-62.5] in the complete and incomplete-VL-suppression groups, respectively, with no significant difference. The incomplete-VL-suppression group scored significantly lower on the individual question for HIV control than the complete-VL-suppression group (5.0 [5.0-6.0] vs. 6.0 [5.0-6.0], P = 0.001). The total PHQ-9 and GAD-7 scores were not significantly different between the groups. The proportion of patients who preferred the once-every-month subcutaneous formulation was higher in the incomplete-VL-suppression group compared to the complete-VL-suppression group (16.4 % vs. 7.5 %, P = 0.028). Conclusions: The association between VL-suppression status and overall treatment satisfaction, depression, or anxiety was not detected. However, satisfaction with HIV control and treatment needs may differ in PLWH with incomplete VL-suppression.