Fogel JM, Taha TE, Sun J, Hoover DR, Parsons TL, Kumwenda JJ, Mofenson LM, Fowler MG, Hendrix CW, Kumwenda NI, Eshleman SH, Mirochnick M. Stavudine concentrations in women receiving postpartum antiretroviral treatment and their breastfeeding infants. J Acquir Immune Defic Syndr. 2012, 60: 462-5. PMC3404155
Abstract:
First-line antiretroviral treatment regimens in resource-limited settings used in breastfeeding mothers often include stavudine (d4T). Limited data describing d4T concentrations in breast milk are available. We analyzed d4T concentrations in 52 mother-infant pairs using ultra-performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (lower limit of quantification: 5 ng/mL in plasma, 20 ng/mL in breast milk). Median (interquartile range) d4T concentrations were 86 (36-191) ng/mL in maternal plasma, 151 (48-259) ng/mL in whole milk, 190 (58-296) ng/mL in skim milk, and <5 (<5 to <5) ng/mL in infant plasma. Although d4T is concentrated in breast milk relative to maternal plasma, the infant d4T dose received from breast milk is very small and not clinically significant.