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HIV and HCV co‐infection: Situation at six French university hospitals in the year 2000
Author(s) -
BuffetJanvresse Claudine,
PeigueLafeuille Hélène,
Benichou Jacques,
Vabret Astrid,
Branger Michel,
Trimoulet Pascale,
Goria Odile,
Laurichesse Henri,
Abbed Abdelaziz,
Verdon Renaud,
Bouvet Elisabeth,
Lafon MarieEdith,
Dussaix Elisabeth
Publication year - 2003
Publication title -
journal of medical virology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.782
H-Index - 121
eISSN - 1096-9071
pISSN - 0146-6615
DOI - 10.1002/jmv.10268
Subject(s) - medicine , hepatitis c virus , epidemiology , hepatitis c , exact test , cirrhosis , liver biopsy , gastroenterology , liver disease , biopsy , immunology , virus
The aims of this study were to assess the sociodemographic, epidemiological, clinical, and biological characteristics of French patients co‐infected with human immunodeficiency virus‐hepatitis C virus (HIV‐HCV), as well as the management of their HCV infection. Data on 509 HIV‐HCV co‐infected patients, followed up at six French University Hospitals, were collected using a questionnaire. Student's t ‐test, Pearson's chi‐square, Fisher's exact, and Fisher‐Freeman‐Halton's exact tests were used. The mean age of the patients was 38.3 years, and the male to female sex ratio 2.08; 88% of patients were born in Metropolitan France, and 20% were dependent on health benefits; 74% were intravenous drug users and 14% blood or blood product recipients. Forty‐seven percent were in CDC classification stage A, 18% had a CD4 + count of <200, and 79% were undergoing current antiretroviral treatment. HCV RNA was positive in 84% (50% type 1, 13% untypable). Forty‐four percent had normal alanine aminotransferase (ALT) levels, 24% alcohol consumption >15 g/day, and 51% had undergone liver biopsy (10% of which had cirrhosis). Histological grade was not related to ALT level or CD4 + count. Overall, 40% of patients had been treated for HCV infection. HCV treatment was significantly associated with performance of liver biopsy, histological grade, ALT level, CD4 + count, Centers for Disease Control (CDC) classification, but not with age or alcohol consumption. Rate of early response to treatment was fifty percent among patients treated with bitherapy. Eighty‐nine percent of all patients with previous or current anti‐HCV treatment had undergone liver biopsy. In conclusion, despite the difficulties in managing hepatitis C in HIV‐infected patients, almost one‐half of all patients in this study had received anti‐HCV treatment. J. Med. Virol. 69:7–17, 2003. © 2003 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.