Treatment of chronic hepatitis C with interferon-alpha in patients infected with the human immunodeficiency virus.
OBJECTIVE
The incidence of hepatitis C infection is increased in subjects with human immunodeficiency virus infection, although the relative frequency of hepatitis b infection is higher than that hepatitis c. The present study assessed the effect of IFN-a on chronic hepatitis C in HIV infected patients.


METHODS
Twenty patients with chronic hepatitis C, nine positive for antibodies to the human immunodeficiency virus and eleven HIV-seronegative, were treated with interferon a-2b.


RESULTS
Five HIV-positive patients responded to therapy with a complete (three) or partial (two) remission of hepatitis at the end of treatment. A sustained response was achieved in four patients. From the HIV-negative patients eight responded with a complete (six) or partial (two) remission. The response was sustained in six patients. Hepatitis C virus-RNA became at least temporarily undetectable in three HIV-positive and six HIV-negative patients. No severe toxicity of interferon treatment was seen in either the HIV-positive or the HIV-negative patients.


CONCLUSIONS
The present results indicate that interferon treatment of chronic hepatitis C in HIV-positive patients is successful in a considerable number of individuals. However it might be inferior to the results in HIV-negative patients.
Mauss
S
S
Department of Gastroenterology and Infectiology, Heinrich-Heine-University, Düsseldorf, Germany.
Heintges
T
T
Adams
O
O
Albrecht
H
H
Niederau
C
C
Jablonowski
H
H
D000328:Adult; D018791:CD4 Lymphocyte Count; D002908:Chronic Disease; D005260:Female; D016655:HIV Core Protein p24 / Q000378:metabolism; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000150:complications* / Q000276:immunology / Q000628:therapy; D016174:Hepacivirus / Q000235:genetics; D006526:Hepatitis C / Q000150:complications / Q000276:immunology / Q000628:therapy*; D006801:Humans; D007273:Injections, Intramuscular; D016898:Interferon-alpha / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012367:RNA, Viral / Q000032:analysis
D016655:HIV Core Protein p24; D016898:Interferon-alpha; D012367:RNA, Viral