Cholesterol levels in HIV-HCV infected patients treated with lopinavir/r: results from the SCOLTA project.
BACKGROUND
It is not known whether antiretroviral therapy (ART) including lopinavir/r has a different effect on the lipid metabolism in HIV patients co-infected with HCV. This study investigated changes in lipid levels, comparing patients with HIV infection alone and those with HCV too, in the lopinavir/r cohort of the SCOLTA project.


METHODS
We analyzed the data for the lopinavir/r nationwide cohort from 25 Italian infectious disease departments, which comprises 743 HIV-infected patients followed prospectively, comparing subjects with HIV-HCV co-infection and those with single-infection.


RESULTS
At enrolment, co-infected patients had significantly lower mean cholesterol than HCV negative cases (162+/-43mg/dL vs. 185+/-52mg/dL, p=0.0009). Total and non-HDL cholesterol and triglycerides rose significantly from baseline in HIV single-infection patients, but not in those with co-infection. The patients with dual HIV-HCV infection, treated with an ART regimen including lopinavir/r, have only limited increases in total and non-HDL cholesterol and triglycerides.


CONCLUSIONS
Changes in serum lipids in co-infected patients differed significantly from those in patients without HCV. It remains to be seen whether this is associated with a lower risk of progression of atherosclerotic disease.
De Socio
Giuseppe Vittorio L
GV
Clinica di Malattie Infettive, Università degli Studi di Perugia, Ospedale Santa Maria della Misericordia, Piazzale Menghini 1, 06129 Perugia, Italy. giuseppedesocio@yahoo.it
Bonfanti
Paolo
P
Ricci
Elena
E
Orofino
Giancarlo
G
Madeddu
Giordano
G
Penco
Giovanni
G
Gianelli
Erika
E
Martinelli
Canio
C
Carradori
Silvia
S
Quirino
Tiziana
T
Rizzardini
Giuliano
G
D000328:Adult; D019380:Anti-HIV Agents / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D002784:Cholesterol / Q000097:blood; D015331:Cohort Studies; D004338:Drug Combinations; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy*; D017320:HIV Protease Inhibitors / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D019698:Hepatitis C, Chronic / Q000150:complications*; D006801:Humans; D061466:Lopinavir; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011744:Pyrimidinones / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D019438:Ritonavir / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D014280:Triglycerides / Q000097:blood
D019380:Anti-HIV Agents; D004338:Drug Combinations; D017320:HIV Protease Inhibitors; D011744:Pyrimidinones; D014280:Triglycerides; D061466:Lopinavir; D002784:Cholesterol; D019438:Ritonavir