Relation between HIV-1 and hepatitis C viral load in patients with hemophilia

J Acquir Immune Defic Syndr. 2001 Apr 15;26(5):466-72. doi: 10.1097/00126334-200104150-00011.

Abstract

Coinfection with hepatitis C virus (HCV) and HIV-1 is common in patients with hemophilia and in intravenous drug users. Little, however, is known about the relation between HIV-1 and HCV coinfection and the effects on HCV clearance and pathogenesis. We examined data from 207 HIV-1-infected and 126 HIV-1-uninfected patients with hemophilia enrolled in the multicenter Hemophilia Growth and Development Study. Participants were observed during prospective follow-up for approximately 7 years with annual measurements of alanine aminotransferase (ALT), CD4+ cells, and HCV and HIV-1 RNA levels. Clearance of HCV was more likely to occur in those uninfected with HIV-1 (14.3 versus 2.5%; odds ratio [OR] 4.79; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.63-14.08, p =.005) and was more common with decreasing age (OR, 1.23; 95% CI, 1.04-1.47; p =.017). HCV RNA levels were higher throughout the 7 years of follow-up in those HIV-1-infected (p <.001). In the HIV-1-infected participants, baseline CD4+ cells were inversely related to HCV RNA with every 100-cell increase associated with a 0.19 log10 copy/ml decrease in HCV RNA (p =.002), and HIV-1 and HCV RNA levels were directly related (p =.008). Increasing HCV RNA levels were also associated with significantly higher ALT levels regardless of HIV-1 infection status. These results demonstrate that HIV-1/HCV co-infection is associated with a reduced likelihood of HCV clearance and that higher levels of HCV RNA are associated with increased hepatic inflammation.

Publication types

  • Clinical Trial
  • Multicenter Study
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, P.H.S.

MeSH terms

  • Adolescent
  • Adult
  • Alanine Transaminase / blood
  • Anti-HIV Agents / therapeutic use
  • CD4 Lymphocyte Count
  • Child
  • Cohort Studies
  • HIV Infections / complications
  • HIV Infections / drug therapy
  • HIV Infections / virology*
  • HIV-1 / physiology*
  • Hemophilia A / complications*
  • Hemophilia A / virology*
  • Hepacivirus / physiology*
  • Hepatitis C / complications
  • Hepatitis C / virology*
  • Humans
  • RNA, Viral / blood
  • Viral Load

Substances

  • Anti-HIV Agents
  • RNA, Viral
  • Alanine Transaminase