Lipid abnormalities in HIV/hepatitis C virus-coinfected patients.
BACKGROUND
Among HIV-infected patients, hepatitis C virus (HCV) coinfection is associated with increased rates of lipodystrophy and insulin resistance. Its impact on HIV-associated dyslipidaemia is less clear.


METHODS
The lipid profiles of all HIV-infected patients and a subset of HCV-infected patients seen at the VA Medical Center in Dallas from January 2003 to March 2004 were analysed. Demographic data, HCV serostatus, and HIV treatment history were recorded. Lipid profiles of HIV/HCV-coinfected patients were compared with those of HIV-monoinfected and HCV-monoinfected patients.


RESULTS
A total of 359 HIV-infected patients, 91 (25.3%) of whom were HCV coinfected, and 112 HCV-infected patients were included in the analysis. Among the HIV-infected patients, HCV coinfection was associated with a reduced risk of hypercholesterolaemia [9.9% vs 24.8%; relative risk (RR)=0.333; 95% confidence interval (CI)=0.158-0.699; P<0.001] and hypertriglyceridaemia (48.4% vs 60.3%; RR=0.616; 95% CI=0.382-0.994; P=0.031). After controlling for duration of protease inhibitor (PI) therapy, race, alanine aminotransferase (ALT) concentration and platelet count, HCV remained an independent predictor of hypercholesterolaemia (RR=0.369; P=0.01) and any dyslipidaemia (RR=0.531; P=0.019). In addition, the rate of dyslipidaemias was lower among HCV-monoinfected than HIV/HCV-coinfected patients (29.5% vs 50.5; P=0.002). White race was also an independent predictor of dyslipidaemia (73.8% vs 50.7%; RR=2.32; 95% CI=1.44-3.76; P=0.001).


CONCLUSIONS
HCV coinfection independently predicted lower rates of dyslipidaemia among HIV-infected patients. An analysis of lipid kinetics among mono- and coinfected patients may elucidate the mechanisms of the apparent protective effect of HCV infection.
Bedimo
R
R
Department of Medicine, Division of Infectious Diseases, University of Texas South-Western Medical Center at Dallas, Dallas, TX 75216, USA. roger.bedimo@med.va.gov
Ghurani
R
R
Nsuami
M
M
Turner
D
D
Kvanli
M-B
MB
Brown
G
G
Margolis
D
D
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D005260:Female; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000453:epidemiology*; D006526:Hepatitis C / Q000453:epidemiology*; D006801:Humans; D006937:Hypercholesterolemia / Q000453:epidemiology*; D015228:Hypertriglyceridemia / Q000453:epidemiology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012307:Risk Factors; D013781:Texas / Q000453:epidemiology