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Time on antiretroviral therapy is a protective factor for liver fibrosis in HIV and hepatitis C virus (HCV) co‐infected patients
Author(s) -
Tural C.,
Fuster D.,
Tor J.,
Ojanguren I.,
Sirera G.,
Ballesteros À.,
Lasanta J. A. J.,
Planas R.,
ReyJoly C.,
Clotet B.
Publication year - 2003
Publication title -
journal of viral hepatitis
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.329
H-Index - 100
eISSN - 1365-2893
pISSN - 1352-0504
DOI - 10.1046/j.1365-2893.2003.00413.x
Subject(s) - medicine , hepatitis c virus , liver biopsy , gastroenterology , hepatitis c , biopsy , fibrosis , viral load , immunology , human immunodeficiency virus (hiv) , virus
summary. To assess the factors associated with liver fibrosis in human immunodeficiency virus and hepatitis C virus (HIV/HCV) co‐infected patients eligible for anti‐HCV therapy, we performed an observational, single‐centred, cross‐sectional study of 180 HIV/HCV co‐infected patients who underwent liver biopsy between May 1998 and November 2001. A total of 126 patients with a known date of HCV infection were evaluated. Liver fibrosis was defined as a Knodell stage of fibrosis 1–4. The mean age was 36.7 (3.8) years, 81% were male and had a mean age of 20.5 (3.8) years at HCV infection. Mean CD4 cell count and plasma HIV‐1 RNA load at the time of biopsy were 552 cell/mm 3 (239) and 2.5 log 10 (0.9), respectively; 118 patients had been on antiretroviral therapy (ART) for a median of 45 months (Q1–Q3: 21–75) and 84 on protease inhibitor for a median of 12.0 months (Q1–Q3: 0–29.5); 55 had an AIDS event or a CD4 cell count nadir < 200 cells/mm 3 prior to biopsy. Median histological activity index was 6 and 27% had a Knodell stage of fibrosis 0. On the multivariate analysis time on ART (OR for 6 months extra: 0.954, 95% CI: 0.859–0.994), CD4 cell count at the time of liver biopsy (OR for 100 cells/mL increase: 0.740, 95% CI: 0.670–0.905), age at HCV infection acquisition (OR for 5 years extra: 2.594, 95% CI: 1.326–5.133) and alcohol intake (> 50 g/day) (OR: 2.73, 95% CI: 1.108–6.731) were associated with liver fibrosis. Hence ART should be a priority in HIV/HCV co‐infected patients eligible for anti‐HCV treatment as it is a protective factor for liver fibrosis.