Premium
Effect of IL‐2 on hepatitis C virus RNA levels in patients co‐infected with human immunodeficiency virus receiving HAART
Author(s) -
Tedaldi E. M.,
Chen L.,
Markowitz N.,
Kelly L.,
Abrams D.
Publication year - 2005
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 - 10.1111/j.1365-2893.2005.00610.x
Subject(s) - hepatitis c virus , rna , medicine , human immunodeficiency virus (hiv) , virology , immunology , lentivirus , hepatitis c , viral load , virus , antiretroviral therapy , gastroenterology , viral disease , biology , biochemistry , gene
Summary. The effect of interleukin‐2 (IL‐2) on the plasma levels of hepatitis C RNA (HCV‐RNA) has varied in published reports. We measured the impact of IL‐2 on plasma HCV RNA levels in 54 human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)/HCV coinfected patients enrolled in a randomized trial of 512 participants designed to compare the virologic and immunologic effects of cycled IL‐2 plus antiretroviral therapy (ART) vs ART alone in the treatment of HIV in patients with CD4 cell counts ≥300 cells/mm 3 . The mean decreases in average HCV RNA levels (copies/mL, log 10 ) were 0.28 log in the IL‐2 group ( n = 26) and 0.04 log in the ART alone group ( n = 28) at 12 months ( P = 0.18). The changes in HCV RNA level were not associated with baseline or nadir CD4 cell counts, baseline aspartate aminotransferanse, CD4 cell response to IL‐2, or changes in plasma HIV RNA values. Compared with those participants who only had HIV, the HIV/HCV co‐infected patients did not have a significantly different CD4 cell response to IL‐2 therapy. Intermittent IL‐2 therapy does not produce a significant sustained decrease in plasma HCV RNA levels among patients co‐infected with HIV/HCV who are on highly active ART.