A study to investigate the impact of the initiation of highly active antiretroviral therapy on the hepatitis C virus viral load in HIV/HCV-coinfected patients.
Changes in the hepatitis C virus (HCV) viral load (VL) were assessed in a retrospective study of 50 HIV/HCV-coinfected patients who initiated highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART). Most patients responded to HAART [during the first 6 months, plasma HIV VL fell by a mean 1.39 log10, becoming undetectable (<400 copies/ml) in 22% and CD4+ T cells increased by a mean of 100 cells/microl], but surprisingly, 27 (54%) showed some rise and 25 (50%) showed a significant increase in the HCV VL. This figure was considered to be a minimum estimate. A majority of the patients showed an increase of less than 1 log10 that was associated with a rapid decrease in the HIV VL, whereas an increase in the HCV VL of greater than 1 log10, noted in eight patients, was associated with a baseline CD4+ cell count of less than 200 cells/microl. The increase in the HCV VL was not associated with hepatitis as determined by raised alanine transferase.
Mijch
Anne
A
Department of Infectious Diseases, Alfred Hospital, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.
Sasadeusz
Joseph
J
Hellard
Margaret
M
Dunne
Mandy
M
McCaw
Rhonda
R
Bowden
Scott
S
Gowans
Eric J
EJ
D000328:Adult; D023241:Antiretroviral Therapy, Highly Active; D001315:Australia; D018791:CD4 Lymphocyte Count; D015331:Cohort Studies; D005260:Female; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000276:immunology / Q000821:virology; D016174:Hepacivirus / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D006526:Hepatitis C / Q000150:complications / Q000821:virology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011480:Protease Inhibitors / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D018894:Reverse Transcriptase Inhibitors / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D013997:Time Factors; D019562:Viral Load
D011480:Protease Inhibitors; D018894:Reverse Transcriptase Inhibitors