Pre-exposure Prophylaxis Uptake Among Men Who Have Sex With Men Who Used nPEP: A Longitudinal Analysis of Attendees at a Large Sexual Health Clinic in Montréal (Canada)

Reducing HIV transmission using pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) requires focussing on individuals at high acquisition risk, such as men who have sex with men with a history of nonoccupational post-exposure prophylaxis (nPEP). This study aims to characterize longitudinal trends in PrEP uptake and its determinants among nPEP users in Montréal. Eligible attendees at Clinique médicale l'Actuel were recruited prospectively starting in October 2000 (nPEP) and January 2013 (PrEP). Linking these cohorts, we characterized the nPEP-to-PrEP cascade, examined the determinants of PrEP uptake after nPEP consultation using a Cox proportional-hazard model, and assessed whether PrEP persistence differed by nPEP history using Kaplan-Meier curves. As of August 2019, 31% of 2682 nPEP cohort participants had 2 or more nPEP consultations. Subsequent PrEP consultations occurred among 36% of nPEP users, of which 17% sought nPEP again afterward. Among 2718 PrEP cohort participants, 46% reported previous nPEP use. Among nPEP users, those aged 25-49 years [hazard ratio (HR) = 1.3, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.1 to 1.7], with more nPEP episodes (HR = 1.4, 95% CI: 1.3 to 1.5), who reported chemsex (HR = 1.3, 95% CI: 1.1 to 1.7), with a sexually transmitted infection history (HR = 1.5; 95% CI: 1.3 to 1.7), and who returned for their first nPEP follow-up visit (HR = 3.4, 95% CI: 2.7 to 4.2) had higher rates of PrEP linkage. There was no difference in PrEP persistence between nPEP-to-PrEP and PrEP only participants. Over one-third of nPEP users were subsequently prescribed PrEP. However, the large proportion of men who repeatedly use nPEP calls for more efficient PrEP-linkage services and, among those who use PrEP, improved persistence should be encouraged.