title: HIV and HCV co-infection: situation at six French university hospitals in the year 2000.
abstract: 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.
authors.affiliation: Laboratoire de Virologie, Université de Rouen, Rouen, France. claudine.buffet-janvresse@chu-rouen.fr
authors.forename: Claudine
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Buffet-Janvresse
authors.forename: Hélène
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Peigue-Lafeuille
authors.forename: Jacques
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Benichou
authors.forename: Astrid
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Vabret
authors.forename: Michel
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Branger
authors.forename: Pascale
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Trimoulet
authors.forename: Odile
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Goria
authors.forename: Henri
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Laurichesse
authors.forename: Abdelaziz
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Abbed
authors.forename: Renaud
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Verdon
authors.forename: Elisabeth
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Bouvet
authors.forename: Marie-Edith
authors.initials: ME
authors.lastname: Lafon
authors.forename: Elisabeth
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Dussaix
authors.forename: Louis
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Cormerais
authors.forename: Michel
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Dupon
authors.forename: Cécile
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Henquell
authors.forename: Annie
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Josse
authors.forename: Philippe
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Lagoutte
authors.forename: Sylvie
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Lariven
authors.forename: Sylvie
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: LeGac
authors.forename: Ghassan
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Riachi
authors.forename: Renault
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Verdon
authors.forename: Didier
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Vittecoq
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000410:Alanine Transaminase / Q000097:blood; D000998:Antiviral Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D005260:Female; D005602:France; D005838:Genotype; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000150:complications* / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000276:immunology / Q000821:virology; D016174:Hepacivirus / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000502:physiology*; D006526:Hepatitis C / Q000097:blood / Q000150:complications* / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000473:pathology / Q000821:virology; D006785:Hospitals, University; D006801:Humans; D007372:Interferons / Q000627:therapeutic use; D008099:Liver / Q000473:pathology / Q000821:virology*; D008297:Male; D012367:RNA, Viral / Q000032:analysis* / Q000097:blood; D012307:Risk Factors; D015819:Substance Abuse, Intravenous / Q000150:complications*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
chemical_list: D000998:Antiviral Agents; D012367:RNA, Viral; D007372:Interferons; D000410:Alanine Transaminase