The influence of hepatitis C virus-human immunodeficiency virus co-infection on the appearance of liver enzyme elevation in people on high activity antiretroviral treatment.
BACKGROUND
Liver enzyme elevation (LEE) as a consequence of HAART is a problem among patients with HIV-HCV co-infection.


METHODS
In this retrospective study, 145 patients with HIV who were on HAART and who developed LEE grades 3 and 4 of the World Health Organization (WHO) were followed up. Basal ALT, alcohol consumption, and HCV and HBV co-infection were recorded. Comparisons were made between patients with and without HCV co-infection.


RESULTS
Three patients without co-infection presented LEE grade 3 versus 38 with co-infection (104 episodes). An increase in basal ALT (RR: 1.01) and HCV co-infection (RR: 6.6) were the variables associated with LEE grade 3. The number of days that HAART had to be withdrawn due to LEE was 58.15 and 4.85 in subjects with and without co-infection, respectively (p=0.024).


CONCLUSIONS
Patients with HCV-HIV co-infection have more episodes of LEE and must go longer without HAART than people without co-infection.
Olalla
J
J
Department of Internal Medicine, Hospital Costa del Sol, Marbella, Spain.
Rubio
R
R
Costa
J R
JR
del Palacio
A
A
Hidalgo
L
L
Poveda
F
F
García-Alegría
J J
JJ