Influence of coinfection with hepatitis C virus on morbidity and mortality due to human immunodeficiency virus infection in the era of highly active antiretroviral therapy.
To ascertain the impact of hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection on human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) disease progression and associated death in the era of highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART), we examined mortality rates, the presence of other diseases, and antiretroviral use in an observational cohort of 823 HIV-infected patients with and without HCV coinfection during the period of January 1996 through June 2001. Analyses were used to compare patient characteristics, comorbid conditions, and survival durations in HIV-infected and HIV-HCV-coinfected patients. HIV-HCV-coinfected persons did not have a statistically greater rate of acquired immunodeficiency syndrome or of renal or cardiovascular disease, but they did have more cases of cirrhosis and transaminase elevations. There were proportionately more deaths in the HIV-HCV-coinfected group. Age, baseline CD4+ cell count, and duration of HAART were significantly associated with survival, but HCV infection was not. HAART use was a strong predictor of increased duration of survival, suggesting that treatment is more important to survival than is HCV coinfection status.
Tedaldi
Ellen M
EM
Temple University Hospital, Section of General Internal Medicine, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19140, USA. etedaldi@astro.ocis.temple.edu
Baker
Rose K
RK
Moorman
Anne C
AC
Alzola
Carlos F
CF
Furhrer
Jack
J
McCabe
Robert E
RE
Wood
Kathleen C
KC
Holmberg
Scott D
SD
D019380:Anti-HIV Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D023241:Antiretroviral Therapy, Highly Active; D006678:HIV; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000150:complications* / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000401:mortality; D016174:Hepacivirus; D006526:Hepatitis C / Q000150:complications* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000401:mortality; D006801:Humans; D009017:Morbidity; D009026:Mortality
D019380:Anti-HIV Agents