title: The preliminary efficacy of interferon-alpha and ribavirin combination treatment of chronic hepatitis C in HIV-infected patients.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  It is internationally accepted that in drug-naïve individuals with hepatitis C virus (HCV) and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) co-infection, chronic hepatitis C should be treated first if the CD4 cell count does not require the initiation of anti-retroviral therapy. Present paper evaluated the clinical effect and side-effect of interferon-alpha (IFN-alpha) and ribavirin (RBV) combination therapy for Chinese patients with HCV-HIV co-infection, and compared with them for HIV infection alone.
  
  
  METHODS
  Ten patients with HCV-HIV and 17 patients with HCV received 5 million unit IFNalpha-2b every other day intramuscularly, and 300 mg RBV triple daily by oral. Dynamic observations were made for HCV RNA and HIV RNA loads, CD4+ and CD8+ T lymphocyte counts, liver function and blood cell measurement, and the medicine side-effects.
  
  
  RESULTS
  After 12-week and 24-week treatments of IFN-alpha and RBV combination therapy, mean HCV RNA levels reduced 1.14 logs and 1.56 logs from the baseline at week 0 in HCV-HIV co-infection, and reduced 1.48 logs and 1.75 logs in HCV infection, respectively. The HIV RNA levels decreased 1.22 logs and 1.32 logs from the base line; however, there were no obvious different changes at T lymphocyte counts of HCV-HIV and HCV patients through 24-week treatments. Whole 27 patients showed satisfactory biochemical response to therapy. There were some mild or mediate influence-like symptoms, intestinal uncomfortable and depressed blood cell counts in early stage of the treatments. No neuropsychiatric and auto-immune disorders were found.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  IFN-alpha and RBV combination therapy had similar anti-HCV effects during 24-week treatment for HCV-HIV and HCV infected Chinese patients, and some anti-HIV effect. There were no obvious different biochemical responses and side-effects between two groups above.
authors.affiliation: AIDS Research Laboratory, Division of Infectious Diseases, the Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Hunan Province, Changsha 410011, China. yhzyhz2002@sina.com.cn
authors.forename: Yu-huang
authors.initials: YH
authors.lastname: Zheng
authors.forename: Chun-ying
authors.initials: CY
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Yan
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: He
authors.forename: Hua-ying
authors.initials: HY
authors.lastname: Zhou
authors.forename: Wen
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Zou
authors.forename: Pei-pei
authors.initials: PP
authors.lastname: Ding
authors.forename: Li
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.forename: Hui
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Li
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D023241:Antiretroviral Therapy, Highly Active; D018791:CD4 Lymphocyte Count; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D005260:Female; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000276:immunology / Q000821:virology; D019698:Hepatitis C, Chronic / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000276:immunology / Q000821:virology; D006801:Humans; D000077190:Interferon alpha-2; D016898:Interferon-alpha / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012367:RNA, Viral / Q000032:analysis; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D012254:Ribavirin / Q000008:administration & dosage*
chemical_list: D000077190:Interferon alpha-2; D016898:Interferon-alpha; D012367:RNA, Viral; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D012254:Ribavirin