title: [Chronic hepatitis C in HIV co-infected patients. Study of 55 cases with liver biopsy].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To study the evolution of chronic hepatitis in HIV-HCV co-infected patients and the factors conditioning this evolution.
  
  
  METHODS
  55 intravenous drug users with HIV-HCV co-infection were studied. We performed a clinical and laboratory study determining the age at the time of HCV infection and the date of liver biopsy, HIV stage, CD4 cell count, viral load, and time under antiretroviral treatment. Moreover, we analyzed the HCV genotype, HCV viral load, ALT plasmatic level, and liver biopsy. Univariate and multivariate analyses were made.
  
  
  RESULTS
  55 patients with HIV-HCV co-infection were evaluated. In the multivariate analysis, gender (p = 0.034; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.306-1082.625), lowest level of CD4+ lymphocytes (p = 0.021; 95% CI, 1,693-653,484) and highest viral load value (p = 0.022; 95% CI, 1366-53,817) were significantly correlated with liver disease progression.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Both a male sex and a poor immune system situation are associated with a worse evolution of chronic hepatitis C.
authors.affiliation: Servicio de Medicina Interna, Hospital Universitario Arnau de Vilanova, Lleida, Spain. mrubio@arnau.scs.es
authors.forename: Manuel
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Rubio Caballero
authors.forename: Carmen
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Rubio Rivas
authors.forename: Ramón
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Egido García
authors.forename: Antonio
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Nogués Biau
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001706:Biopsy; D005260:Female; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000150:complications* / Q000276:immunology; D019698:Hepatitis C, Chronic / Q000150:complications* / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D015819:Substance Abuse, Intravenous / Q000150:complications