title: Health-related quality of life of patients with HIV disease: impact of hepatitis C coinfection.
abstract: Health-related quality of life (HRQOL) is diminished in patients infected with both hepatitis C virus (HCV) and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), but the effect of HIV/HCV coinfection on HRQOL is unknown. We compared the HRQOL of urban HIV/HCV coinfected patients with that of patients infected with either HCV or HIV alone. We then compared the 3 groups with a US population sample, adjusting for demographic characteristics. HRQOL for the group of HIV/HCV coinfected patients was statistically similar to that of HRQOL in patients with either HCV or HIV alone, but the 3 groups had a significantly decreased HRQOL than did the adjusted US population. Using multivariate techniques, we determined that age, unemployment, injection drug use, and depression were associated with impaired HRQOL. These findings underscore the importance of a multidisciplinary approach to the treatment of these patient populations.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, Boston Medical Center, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, Massachusetts 02118, USA. catherine.fleming@bmc.org
authors.forename: Catherine A
authors.initials: CA
authors.lastname: Fleming
authors.forename: Demian
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Christiansen
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Nunes
authors.forename: Timothy
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Heeren
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Thornton
authors.forename: C Robert
authors.initials: CR
authors.lastname: Horsburgh
authors.forename: Margaret James
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Koziel
authors.forename: Camilla
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Graham
authors.forename: Donald E
authors.initials: DE
authors.lastname: Craven
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000150:complications / Q000523:psychology*; D006526:Hepatitis C / Q000150:complications / Q000523:psychology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D011788:Quality of Life