SAFETY ALERT: RITONAVIR AND INTRA-ARTICULAR TRIMCINOLONE ACETONIDE INJECTION

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June, 2010 – The Pharmacovigilance Initiative at the BC Centre for Excellence in HIV/AIDS has received four reports of suspected drug interaction between ritonavir and triamcinolone acetonide intra-articular injection leading to symptoms of corticosteroid excess (Cushingoid features) and adrenal suppression. The affected patients were HIV-infected adults whose antiretroviral therapy included a protease inhibitor boosted with ritonavir 100-200 mg daily. All patients received one or more injections of triamcinolone acetonide 40-80 mg into shoulder or knee joints. Adrenal suppression (morning serum cortisol <28 nmol/L, reference range 175-685 nmol/L) was diagnosed four to 14 weeks after the first triamcinolone acetonide injection.

For more information: Click here to download the BC-CfE Safety Alert (PDF)

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During the Canada Post strike announced September 25, 2025, the following measures will be undertaken to minimize service disruption to BC-CfE clients and providers.

  • The BC-CfE Laboratory has transitioned to private courier for delivery of outgoing reports and documents. Results required urgently can be faxed upon request. (Lab Contact Information: Phone 604-806-8775; FAX 604-806-9463)
  • The BC-CfE Drug Treatment Program (DTP) will fax outgoing forms and documents to the provider’s office. (DTP Contact Information: Phone 604-806-8515; FAX 604-806-9044)
  • St. Paul’s Hospital Ambulatory Pharmacy has transitioned to private courier for delivery of medications. We recommend requesting medication at least 2 weeks in advance in case of delivery delays, particularly to rural/remote parts of BC. (Contact Information: Phone 1-800-547-3622; FAX 604-806-8675)

During the Canada Post strike, we recommend that documents be faxed or couriered to our sites, versus utilization of regular mail service

The BC-CfE Laboratory is streamlining reporting processes for certain tests in order to simplify distribution and record-keeping, and to ensure completeness of results. Beginning September 2, 2025, results for the ‘Resistance Analysis of HIV-1 Protease and Reverse Transcriptase’ (Protease-RT) and ‘HIV-1 Integrase Resistance Genotype’ tests will be combined into a single ‘HIV-1 Resistance Genotype Report’.
For more details and example reports, please click on the button below

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