Hepatitis C virus (HCV) relapses after anti-HCV therapy are more frequent in HIV-infected patients.
The response to standard or pegylated interferon (IFN) plus ribavirin (RBV) seems to be lower in hepatitis C virus (HCV)/HIV-coinfected subjects than in HCV-monoinfected patients. Thus, the principles guiding anti-HCV therapy in HIV-negative patients may not apply in the setting of HIV infection. We examined the rate of HCV relapse in 58 HCV/HIV-coinfected subjects who showed undetectable HCV-RNA (<600 IU/ml) at the end of anti-HCV combination therapy. Overall, 19 (32.8%) patients relapsed after discontinuing treatment, a rate significantly higher than that seen in HIV negatives, which is in the range of 15-20%. There were no significant differences between HCV genotypes (33.3% for HCV genotypes 2-3 versus 31.8% for HCV genotypes 1-4) and/or the use of either standard or pegylated IFN (37% versus 29%, respectively). Thus, extended periods of anti-HCV therapy might reduce HCV relapses in HIV-coinfected patients initially responding to therapy.
Soriano
Vincent
V
Service of Infectious Diseases, Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Madrid, Spain. vsoriano@dragonet.es
Pérez-Olmeda
Mayte
M
Ríos
Pilar
P
Núñez
Marina
M
García-Samaniego
Javier
J
González-Lahoz
Juan
J
D000328:Adult; D000998:Antiviral Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D005838:Genotype; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000150:complications*; D016174:Hepacivirus / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification; D019698:Hepatitis C, Chronic / Q000188:drug therapy*; D006801:Humans; D000077190:Interferon alpha-2; D016898:Interferon-alpha / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D011092:Polyethylene Glycols; D012367:RNA, Viral / Q000097:blood; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D012008:Recurrence; D012254:Ribavirin / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D013997:Time Factors; D014766:Viremia
D000998:Antiviral Agents; D000077190:Interferon alpha-2; D016898:Interferon-alpha; D012367:RNA, Viral; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D011092:Polyethylene Glycols; D012254:Ribavirin; C417083:peginterferon alfa-2b; C100416:peginterferon alfa-2a