One hundred eighty human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)- and hepatitis C virus (HCV)-coinfected patients were prospectively evaluated for suitability for interferon and ribavirin therapy. Of the 149 patients with chronic HCV infection who completed the evaluation, 44 (30%) were eligible for treatment and 105 (70%) were ineligible, with the main barriers being missed clinic visits, active psychiatric illness, active drug or alcohol use, decompensated liver disease, or medical illness.

Noninvasive markers of liver fibrosis are highly predictive of liver outcome in HCV-infected individuals with and without HIV coinfection. These markers seem to have a prognostic value independent of CPT and MELD.

The diagnostic performance of the evaluated noninvasive markers of liver fibrosis is equivalent in HCV/HIV-coinfected and HCV-infected subjects. These tests may be of value for the clinical evaluation of HCV/HIV-coinfected patients and warrant further study.