title: [Treatment of hepatitis C virus in HIV-positive patients].
abstract: Hepatitis C virus (HCV)-HIV coinfection currently occurs in more than 30% of HIV-positive patients in Spain. Nowadays, the treatment of choice for chronic hepatitis due to HCV infection in HIV-positive patients is pegylated interferon plus ribavirin. This combination achieves an overall cure rate of 50%, which is somewhat lower than those obtained in patients with HCV monoinfection. Adverse effects are frequent, leading to treatment withdrawal in 10-20% of patients. Importantly, there are three new features of hepatitis C in patients with HIV: (1) the recent development of epidemic outbreaks of acute hepatitis due to HCV infection in HIV-positive men caused by homosexual activity, (2) pharmacogenetic markers in the form of genetic polymorphisms near the IL28B gene related to response to HCV treatment as well as spontaneous eradication of HCV after acute infection, and (3) new antiviral molecules have allowed triple combination treatments to be designed and the preliminary results of clinical trials reporting high response rates are highly promising.
authors: Servicio de Infecciones, Hospital Clínic-IDIBAPS, Barcelona, España. mallolas@clinic.ub.es
authors: Josep
authors: J
authors: Mallolas Masferrer
authors: María
authors: M
authors: Martínez-Rebollar
authors: Montserrat
authors: M
authors: Laguno Centeno
mesh_terms: D019380:Anti-HIV Agents / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use; D023241:Antiretroviral Therapy, Highly Active; D000998:Antiviral Agents / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D015897:Comorbidity; D004196:Disease Outbreaks; D004347:Drug Interactions; D016903:Drug Monitoring; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D005260:Female; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000150:complications* / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000453:epidemiology; D006526:Hepatitis C / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000235:genetics; D006801:Humans; D000077190:Interferon alpha-2; D016898:Interferon-alpha / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D007372:Interferons; D007378:Interleukins / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology; D008297:Male; D010352:Patient Dropouts; D011092:Polyethylene Glycols / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D016032:Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic; D011994:Recombinant Proteins / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use; D012254:Ribavirin / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000095022:Interferon Lambda
chemical_list: D019380:Anti-HIV Agents; D000998:Antiviral Agents; D000077190:Interferon alpha-2; D016898:Interferon-alpha; D007372:Interferons; D007378:Interleukins; D011092:Polyethylene Glycols; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D012254:Ribavirin; C000624353:interferon-lambda, human; D000095022:Interferon Lambda; C417083:peginterferon alfa-2b; C100416:peginterferon alfa-2a