title: Differences in liver fibrosis and response to pegylated interferon plus ribavirin in HIV/HCV-coinfected patients with normal vs elevated liver enzymes.
abstract: Severity of liver fibrosis and response to pegylated interferon plus ribavirin (pegIFN-RBV) are not well known in HIV/HCV-coinfected patients with persistently normal alanine aminotransferase (PNALT). All HIV/HCV-coinfected patients who had been assessed for liver fibrosis using elastometry during 2005 at our clinic were evaluated. Those with at least 1 year with three prior consecutive ALT measurements below the upper limit of normality were compared with patients with elevated ALT. Response to pegIFN-RBV was assessed in a subset of these patients. We analysed 87 patients with PNALT and 122 with elevated ALT. Compared to patients with elevated ALT, those with PNALT were significantly more often women (42%vs 26%), had greater mean CD4 counts (565 vs 420 cells/mm³), had lower mean serum HCV-RNA (5.8 vs 6.2 log IU/ml) and were infected by HCV genotype 4 (33%vs 6%). Liver fibrosis was considered as severe (Metavir F3) in 10% of patients with PNALT, and another 4% had cirrhosis based on stiffness values. These numbers were 16% and 35% in patients with elevated ALT. Treatment with pegIFN-RBV was given to 22 and 45 patients with PNALT and elevated ALT, respectively. Sustained virological response was achieved in 50% and 29% of them. In the multivariate analysis, PNALT was independently associated with response (OR: 7.9; 95% CI: 1.4-45.2; P = 0.02). Nearly 15% of HIV/HCV-coinfected patients with PNALT showed advanced liver fibrosis (Metavir F3-F4 estimates by elastometry). In summary, response to pegIFN-RBV is higher in patients with PNALT than in those with elevated ALT. Therefore, treatment should not be denied in HIV/HCV-coinfected patients with PNALT.
authors.affiliation: Infectious Diseases Department, Hospital Carlos III, Madrid, Spain.
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Maida
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Martin-Carbonero
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Sotgiu
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Vispo
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Barreiro
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Gonzalez-Lahoz
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Soriano
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000410:Alanine Transaminase / Q000097:blood*; D000998:Antiviral Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D005260:Female; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000150:complications* / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000821:virology; D015497:HIV-1; D016174:Hepacivirus / Q000187:drug effects*; D006526:Hepatitis C / Q000150:complications* / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000821:virology; D006801:Humans; D000077190:Interferon alpha-2; D016898:Interferon-alpha / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use; D008103:Liver Cirrhosis / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000821:virology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D012254:Ribavirin / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D015854:Up-Regulation
chemical_list: D000998:Antiviral Agents; D000077190:Interferon alpha-2; D016898:Interferon-alpha; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D012254:Ribavirin; D000410:Alanine Transaminase