{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,10,23]],"date-time":"2026-10-23T20:53:27Z","timestamp":1792788807946,"version":"4.5.0"},"reference-count":39,"publisher":"Public Library of Science (PLoS)","issue":"5","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2025,5,20]],"date-time":"2025-05-20T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1747699200000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"http:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"funder":[{"DOI":"10.13039\/501100001713","name":"EDCTP","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","award":["TMA2019CDF-2670"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["TMA2019CDF-2670"]}],"id":[{"id":"10.13039\/501100001713","id-type":"DOI","asserted-by":"crossref"}]},{"name":"Sam and Brew Butler postgraduate funding"}],"content-domain":{"domain":["www.plosone.org"],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["PLoS One"],"abstract":"<jats:sec id=\"sec013\">\n                    <jats:title>Background<\/jats:title>\n                    <jats:p>Dolutegravir (DTG)-based antiretroviral therapy has demonstrated superior efficacy, tolerability, and durability when compared to other HIV treatment regimens. However, monitoring viral kinetics is critical for determining treatment efficacy and making sound judgments. The purpose of this study was to assess viral kinetics in people living with HIV (PLWH) on DTG-based ART and identify characteristics related to virologic response in the Cape Coast Metropolis, Ghana.<\/jats:p>\n                  <\/jats:sec>\n                  <jats:sec id=\"sec014\">\n                    <jats:title>Methods<\/jats:title>\n                    <jats:p>Among people living with HIV (PLWH) attending HIV clinics between January 2020 and December 2023, a prospective and retrospective analysis of viral kinetics and clinical data were carried out. Data on viral loads, clinical laboratory results, ART regimen, and sociodemographic data were gathered. Viral loads analysis was undertaken using the COBAS AmpliPrep\/COBAS TaqMan HIV-1 test, v2.0. Univariate and multivariate analyses were carried out to assess the variables related to virologic response.<\/jats:p>\n                  <\/jats:sec>\n                  <jats:sec id=\"sec015\">\n                    <jats:title>Results<\/jats:title>\n                    <jats:p>Complete data was obtained for a total of 902 PLWH in this study. The average age was 45\u2009\u00b1\u200915.30 years, and 72.62% were female. The majority, 89.02% (835\/902), had been on the DTG+3TC+TDF regimen. Over 60% had undetectable viral loads (&lt;50 copies\/mL). Univariate analysis shows a significant relationship between gender and virologic response, with females having a lower likelihood of virologic failure (OR: 0.60, 95% CI: 0.39\u20130.93, p-value\u2009=\u20090.024). In multivariate analysis, the duration of ART had various relationships with virologic response, with the odds ratio for two years reaching near significance (OR: 1.88, 95% CI: 0.98\u20133.59, p\u2009=\u20090.057). PLWH with viral loads &gt;1000 copies\/mL were 11.20% (101\/902) while viral suppression, which was at detectable limits (&gt;50 -\u2009\u2264\u20091000 cp\/mL), was 13.08% (118\/902) showing high rates of viral suppression.<\/jats:p>\n                  <\/jats:sec>\n                  <jats:sec id=\"sec016\">\n                    <jats:title>Conclusion<\/jats:title>\n                    <jats:p>The presence of virologic failures was of concern despite the high rates of viral suppression that DTG-based ART demonstrated. Undetectable viral suppression was higher than detectable viral suppression. Regular monitoring of viral kinetics, adherence, and comorbidities is essential to meeting the United Nations program on HIV\/AIDS (UNAIDS) 95-95-95 targets and providing efficient therapeutic approaches for PLWH.<\/jats:p>\n                  <\/jats:sec>","DOI":"10.1371\/journal.pone.0324360","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2025,5,20]],"date-time":"2025-05-20T13:37:13Z","timestamp":1747748233000},"page":"e0324360","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1371\/journal.pone.corrections_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":4,"title":["Viral kinetics among persons living with HIV (PLWH) on Dolutegravir-based antiretroviral Regimen: A retrospective and prospective analysis from selected HIV clinics in Ghana"],"prefix":"10.1371","volume":"20","author":[{"given":"Samuel","family":"Badu Nyarko","sequence":"first","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Joel Adu","family":"Twum","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Aikins Sarpong","family":"Obeng","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Helena Dede","family":"Djangba","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Oksana","family":"Ryabinina","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Foster","family":"Kyei","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"George Boateng","family":"Kyei","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-3152-5817","authenticated-orcid":true,"given":"Nicholas Ekow","family":"Thomford","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"340","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2025,5,20]]},"reference":[{"issue":"1","key":"pone.0324360.ref001","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"50","DOI":"10.1186\/s12981-022-00474-z","article-title":"Socio-demographic factors associated with medication adherence among People Living with HIV in the Kumasi Metropolis, Ghana","volume":"19","author":"C Adu","year":"2022","journal-title":"AIDS Res Ther"},{"issue":"9936","key":"pone.0324360.ref002","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"2222","DOI":"10.1016\/S0140-6736(14)60084-2","article-title":"Once-daily dolutegravir versus darunavir plus ritonavir in antiretroviral-naive adults with HIV-1 infection (FLAMINGO): 48 week results from the randomised open-label phase 3b study","volume":"383","author":"B Clotet","year":"2014","journal-title":"Lancet"},{"issue":"12","key":"pone.0324360.ref003","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1943","DOI":"10.1097\/QAD.0000000000001148","article-title":"Virologic failure is uncommon after treatment initiation during acute HIV infection","volume":"30","author":"TA Crowell","year":"2016","journal-title":"AIDS"},{"issue":"1","key":"pone.0324360.ref004","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"230","DOI":"10.1186\/s12879-018-3142-5","article-title":"Immunologic and virological response to ART among HIV infected individuals at a tertiary hospital in Ghana","volume":"18","author":"D Obiri-Yeboah","year":"2018","journal-title":"BMC Infect Dis"},{"issue":"8","key":"pone.0324360.ref005","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","DOI":"10.1016\/S2352-3018(18)30132-2","article-title":"Viral suppression and HIV transmission in serodiscordant male couples: an international, prospective, observational, cohort study","volume":"5","author":"BR Bavinton","year":"2018","journal-title":"Lancet HIV"},{"issue":"10189","key":"pone.0324360.ref006","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"2428","DOI":"10.1016\/S0140-6736(19)30418-0","article-title":"Risk of HIV transmission through condomless sex in serodifferent gay couples with the HIV-positive partner taking suppressive antiretroviral therapy (PARTNER): final results of a multicentre, prospective, observational study","volume":"393","author":"AJ Rodger","year":"2019","journal-title":"Lancet"},{"key":"pone.0324360.ref007","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"59","DOI":"10.1016\/j.virol.2015.09.028","article-title":"Kinetics of the establishment of HIV-1 viral interference and comprehensive analysis of the contribution of viral genes","volume":"487","author":"A Remion","year":"2016","journal-title":"Virology"},{"issue":"1","key":"pone.0324360.ref008","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"21652","DOI":"10.7448\/IAS.20.1.21652","article-title":"Viral kinetics in untreated versus treated acute HIV infection in prospective cohort studies in Thailand","volume":"20","author":"J Ananworanich","year":"2017","journal-title":"J Int AIDS Soc"},{"issue":"1","key":"pone.0324360.ref009","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"739","DOI":"10.1186\/s12913-018-3485-z","article-title":"Availability of HIV services along the continuum of HIV testing, care and treatment in Ghana","volume":"18","author":"S Ayisi Addo","year":"2018","journal-title":"BMC Health Serv Res"},{"issue":"4","key":"pone.0324360.ref010","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","DOI":"10.1371\/journal.pone.0196133","article-title":"Modeling the dynamics and kinetics of HIV-1 Gag during viral assembly","volume":"13","author":"MD Tomasini","year":"2018","journal-title":"PLoS One"},{"key":"pone.0324360.ref011","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"165","DOI":"10.1016\/j.antiviral.2018.10.017","article-title":"Different kinetics of viral replication and DNA integration in the main HIV-1 cellular reservoirs in the presence and absence of integrase inhibitors","volume":"160","author":"M Surdo","year":"2018","journal-title":"Antiviral Res"},{"issue":"2","key":"pone.0324360.ref012","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"194","DOI":"10.1097\/QAI.0b013e318142aabb","article-title":"Alcohol consumption and HIV disease progression","volume":"46","author":"JH Samet","year":"2007","journal-title":"J Acquir Immune Defic Syndr"},{"issue":"9","key":"pone.0324360.ref013","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"604","DOI":"10.7326\/0003-4819-150-9-200905050-00006","article-title":"A new equation to estimate glomerular filtration rate","volume":"150","author":"AS Levey","year":"2009","journal-title":"Ann Intern Med"},{"issue":"1","key":"pone.0324360.ref014","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"22","DOI":"10.1186\/0717-6287-47-22","article-title":"A robust HIV-1 viral load detection assay optimized for Indian sub type C specific strains and resource limiting setting","volume":"47","author":"A Acharya","year":"2014","journal-title":"Biol Res"},{"key":"pone.0324360.ref015","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","DOI":"10.1097\/QAD.0000000000002983","article-title":"The Joint United Nations Programme on HIV\/AIDS 95-95-95 targets: worldwide clinical and cost benefits of generic manufacture","volume":"35","author":"K Heath","year":"2021","journal-title":"AIDS"},{"key":"pone.0324360.ref016","author":"Unaids","year":"2023"},{"key":"pone.0324360.ref017","article-title":"Prevalence, behavioral and socioeconomic factors associated with human immunodeficiency virus in Ghana: a population-based cross-sectional study","volume":"3","author":"DM Ba","year":"2019","journal-title":"Journal of Global Health Reports"},{"key":"pone.0324360.ref018","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"100082","DOI":"10.1016\/j.dialog.2022.100082","article-title":"Factors associated with anti-retroviral therapy (ART) adherence among adult people living with HIV (PLWH): A 5-year retrospective multi-centre study in Kumasi, Ghana","volume":"1","author":"E Senu","year":"2022","journal-title":"Dialogues Health"},{"issue":"1","key":"pone.0324360.ref019","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"16","DOI":"10.3390\/venereology2010002","article-title":"Determinants of Virological Failure in HIV Patients on Highly Active Antiretroviral Therapy (HAART): A Retrospective Cross-Sectional Study in the Upper East Region of Ghana","volume":"2","author":"A Abubakari","year":"2023","journal-title":"Venereology"},{"key":"pone.0324360.ref020","first-page":"271","article-title":"Attitudes to and management of HIV\/AIDS among health workers in Ghana: the case of Cape Coast municipality","author":"K Awusabo-Asare","year":"1997","journal-title":"Health Transit Rev"},{"issue":"22","key":"pone.0324360.ref021","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"2120","DOI":"10.1056\/NEJMoa1508952","article-title":"Prospective Study of Acute HIV-1 Infection in Adults in East Africa and Thailand","volume":"374","author":"ML Robb","year":"2016","journal-title":"N Engl J Med"},{"key":"pone.0324360.ref022","article-title":"Lopinavir\/ritonavir treatment in paediatric patients with covid-19","volume":"5","author":"H Po Ki","year":"2021","journal-title":"BMJ Paediatrics Open"},{"key":"pone.0324360.ref023","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"664080","DOI":"10.3389\/frph.2021.664080","article-title":"Substance Use, Highly Active Antiretroviral Therapy, and Liver Enzymes: Evidence From a Cross-Sectional Study of HIV-Infected Adult Patients Without Comorbidities on HAART in the University of Port Harcourt Teaching Hospital","volume":"3","author":"CF Anyanwu","year":"2021","journal-title":"Front Reprod Health"},{"issue":"47","key":"pone.0324360.ref024","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","DOI":"10.1097\/MD.0000000000035910","article-title":"Effect of Dolutegravir regimen against other regimens on some hematological parameters, CD4 count and viral load of people living with HIV infection in South Eastern Nigeria","volume":"102","author":"SN Echefu","year":"2023","journal-title":"Medicine (Baltimore)"},{"issue":"10","key":"pone.0324360.ref025","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","DOI":"10.1371\/journal.pone.0310239","article-title":"Immuno-hematological parameters among adult HIV patients before and after initiation of Dolutegravir based antiretroviral therapy, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia","volume":"19","author":"A Gudina","year":"2024","journal-title":"PLoS One"},{"issue":"4","key":"pone.0324360.ref026","article-title":"Evaluation of kidney function among people living with HIV initiating antiretroviral therapy in Zambia","volume":"2","author":"JM Pry","year":"2022","journal-title":"PLOS Glob Public Health"},{"issue":"1","key":"pone.0324360.ref027","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"15","DOI":"10.1186\/s12981-025-00712-0","article-title":"Impaired creatinine-based estimated glomerular filtration rate in Thai individuals switching to dolutegravir: illustrating the role of cystatin C testing to aid clinical decision making","volume":"22","author":"C Sacdalan","year":"2025","journal-title":"AIDS Res Ther"},{"issue":"1","key":"pone.0324360.ref028","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1222","DOI":"10.1186\/s12879-021-06933-8","article-title":"Provider perspectives on the acceptability and tolerability of dolutegravir-based anti-retroviral therapy after national roll-out in Uganda: a qualitative study","volume":"21","author":"H Zakumumpa","year":"2021","journal-title":"BMC Infect Dis"},{"issue":"5","key":"pone.0324360.ref029","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"729","DOI":"10.1080\/09540121.2022.2062289","article-title":"Active Pharmacovigilance Project on the safety profile of Dolutegravir in Brazil","volume":"35","author":"JC Mendes","year":"2023","journal-title":"AIDS Care"},{"issue":"12","key":"pone.0324360.ref030","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","DOI":"10.1016\/S2352-3018(17)30095-4","article-title":"Fixed-dose combination dolutegravir, abacavir, and lamivudine versus ritonavir-boosted atazanavir plus tenofovir disoproxil fumarate and emtricitabine in previously untreated women with HIV-1 infection (ARIA): week 48 results from a randomised, open-label, non-inferiority, phase 3b study","volume":"4","author":"C Orrell","year":"2017","journal-title":"Lancet HIV"},{"issue":"5","key":"pone.0324360.ref031","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"403","DOI":"10.1097\/QAI.0000000000003212","article-title":"Point-of-Care Viral Load Testing to Manage HIV Viremia During the Rollout of Dolutegravir-Based ART in South Africa: A Randomized Feasibility Study (POwER)","volume":"93","author":"J Dorward","year":"2023","journal-title":"J Acquir Immune Defic Syndr"},{"issue":"5","key":"pone.0324360.ref032","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","DOI":"10.1371\/journal.pone.0232419","article-title":"High acceptability and viral suppression of patients on Dolutegravir-based first-line regimens in pilot sites in Uganda: A mixed-methods prospective cohort study","volume":"15","author":"VM Nabitaka","year":"2020","journal-title":"PLoS One"},{"issue":"4","key":"pone.0324360.ref033","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"270","DOI":"10.2989\/16085906.2021.1998783","article-title":"Antiretroviral therapy adherence and viral suppression among HIV-infected adolescents and young adults at a tertiary hospital in Ghana","volume":"20","author":"IJK Biney","year":"2021","journal-title":"Afr J AIDS Res"},{"issue":"1","key":"pone.0324360.ref034","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"25","DOI":"10.1080\/09540121.2018.1524113","article-title":"High prevalence of non-adherence to antiretroviral therapy among undisclosed HIV-infected children in Ghana","volume":"31","author":"JS Nichols","year":"2019","journal-title":"AIDS Care"},{"issue":"1","key":"pone.0324360.ref035","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1113","DOI":"10.1186\/s12889-023-16032-9","article-title":"The predictors of unsuppressed viremia among PLHIV: a cross-sectional study in Ghana","volume":"23","author":"LB Owusu","year":"2023","journal-title":"BMC Public Health"},{"issue":"1","key":"pone.0324360.ref036","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"247","DOI":"10.1186\/s12889-019-8134-x","article-title":"The prevalence of selected non-communicable disease risk factors among HIV patients on anti-retroviral therapy in Bushbuckridge sub-district, Mpumalanga province","volume":"20","author":"RL Mathebula","year":"2020","journal-title":"BMC Public Health"},{"issue":"1","key":"pone.0324360.ref037","article-title":"A comparison of medication adherence and viral suppression in antiretroviral treatment-na\u00efve patients with HIV\/AIDS depending on the drug formulary","volume":"16","author":"KS Oh","year":"2021","journal-title":"PLoS One"},{"issue":"1","key":"pone.0324360.ref038","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"66","DOI":"10.1186\/s12981-021-00391-7","article-title":"Determinants of viral suppression among adolescents on antiretroviral treatment in Ehlanzeni district, South Africa: a cross-sectional analysis","volume":"18","author":"EF Okonji","year":"2021","journal-title":"AIDS Res Ther"},{"key":"pone.0324360.ref039","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"905773","DOI":"10.3389\/fimmu.2022.905773","article-title":"Contribution of Sex Differences to HIV Immunology, Pathogenesis, and Cure Approaches","volume":"13","author":"JA Moran","year":"2022","journal-title":"Front Immunol"}],"container-title":["PLOS One"],"original-title":[],"language":"en","link":[{"URL":"https:\/\/dx.plos.org\/10.1371\/journal.pone.0324360","content-type":"unspecified","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"similarity-checking"}],"deposited":{"date-parts":[[2025,5,20]],"date-time":"2025-05-20T13:37:29Z","timestamp":1747748249000},"score":1,"resource":{"primary":{"URL":"https:\/\/dx.plos.org\/10.1371\/journal.pone.0324360"}},"subtitle":[],"editor":[{"given":"Edmund Tetteh","family":"Nartey","sequence":"first","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"editor"}]}],"short-title":[],"issued":{"date-parts":[[2025,5,20]]},"references-count":39,"journal-issue":{"issue":"5","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2025,5,20]]}},"URL":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1371\/journal.pone.0324360","relation":{},"ISSN":["1932-6203"],"issn-type":[{"value":"1932-6203","type":"electronic"}],"subject":[],"published":{"date-parts":[[2025,5,20]]}}}