Impact of hepatitis B and C co-infection on health-related quality of life in HIV positive individuals.
OBJECTIVE
Concurrent infection with HIV, hepatitis B virus (HBV), and hepatitis C virus (HCV) often occurs due to the commonality in risk factors for acquisition. Few studies have examined the effect of co-infection on health-related quality of life (HRQOL) in HIV positive individuals.


METHODS
Ontario HIV Treatment Network Cohort Study (OCS) participants who completed an annual interviewer-administered questionnaire on up to three occasions were included. Generalized estimating equations (GEE) were used to assess the impact of HBV and HCV co-infection on physical and mental HRQOL component summary scores (range 0-100) as measured by the Medical Outcomes SF-36 health survey.


RESULTS
As of March 2010, 1,223 participants had completed the questionnaire; 964 were HIV mono-infected, 128 were HIV-HBV co-infected, 112 were HIV-HCV co-infected, and 19 were HIV-HBV-HCV tri-infected. Eighty percent were male, median age 46 (IQR 40-53) years, 61% Caucasian, median CD4 count 464 (IQR 319-636) cells/mm(3), and 74% had undetectable HIV viremia. Physical HRQOL was lower in HIV-HBV and HIV-HCV co-infected individuals (49.4 (IQR 42.0-53.9) and 48.1 (IQR 36.9-52.8) vs. 51.5 (IQR 45.0-55.4); p = 0.01 and <0.0001) compared to mono-infected individuals. In the multivariable GEE model, the negative impact of HCV remained significant (-2.18; p = 0.01) after adjusting for drug use, smoking, age, and gender. Unadjusted mental HRQOL was lower in HIV-HCV co-infected individuals (44.6 (IQR 34.6-54.0) vs. 48.9 (IQR 36.8-55.9); p = 0.03) compared to mono-infected individuals but no association of mental HRQOL with either co-infection was observed in multivariable GEE models.


CONCLUSIONS
HCV appears to negatively impact physical HRQOL suggesting a greater health burden for co-infected individuals. HBV and HCV co-infections were not related to lower mental HRQOL among people living with HIV/AIDS.
Clinical Decision Making and Health Care, Toronto General Hospital, University Health Network, 200 Elizabeth St., Room 13EN226, Toronto, ON, M5G 2C4, Canada.
Jennifer
J
Gillis
Curtis
C
Cooper
Sean
S
Rourke
Sergio
S
Rueda
Kelly
K
O'Brien
Evan
E
Collins
Anita
A
Rachlis
Trevor A
TA
Hart
Janet
J
Raboud
D000328:Adult; D018791:CD4 Lymphocyte Count; D015331:Cohort Studies; D060085:Coinfection; D005260:Female; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000150:complications / Q000523:psychology* / Q000821:virology; D015497:HIV-1 / Q000302:isolation & purification; D006304:Health Status; D006509:Hepatitis B / Q000150:complications*; D006526:Hepatitis C / Q000150:complications*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009864:Ontario; D011788:Quality of Life; D018434:Sickness Impact Profile; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D019562:Viral Load; D014766:Viremia / Q000150:complications / Q000276:immunology