Human immunodeficiency virus infection and hepatitis C pathology.
To investigate the possible influence of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection on hepatitis C virus-related liver disease, liver morphology was evaluated in 160 HBsAg-negative patients with chronic hepatitis C, including 68 HIV-positive and 92 HIV-negative cases. No differences were detected in the severity of necro-inflammatory hepatic lesions between HIV-negative and HIV-positive patients when the CD4+ lymphocytes count exceeded 400 cells/mm3. In contrast, HIV-positive patients with CD4+ lymphocytes below 400 cells/mm3 showed a significantly lower grade of portal inflammation and piecemeal necrosis. These results suggest that liver lesions in hepatitis C may largely depend on immunomediated mechanisms.
Guido
M
M
Cattedra di Istochimica ed Immunoistochimica Patologica, Università di Padova, Italy.
Rugge
M
M
Fattovich
G
G
Rocchetto
P
P
Cassaro
M
M
Chemello
L
L
Noventa
F
F
Giustina
G
G
Alberti
A
A
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D005260:Female; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000150:complications / Q000473:pathology*; D006526:Hepatitis C / Q000150:complications / Q000473:pathology*; D006801:Humans; D008099:Liver / Q000473:pathology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012189:Retrospective Studies