Histological response to pegIFNα-2a (40KD) plus ribavirin in HIV–hepatitis C virus co-infection

Abstract

The histological response rate was significantly higher in HIV-HCV-co-infected patients who received pegIFNalpha-2a (40KD) plus ribavirin than in those receiving pegIFNalpha-2a (40KD) plus placebo or IFNalpha-2a plus ribavirin. Histological response was correlated with virological response, although a substantial proportion of patients who did not achieve an SVR experienced histological improvement.

Fast fibrosis progression between repeated liver biopsies in patients coinfected with human immunodeficiency virus/hepatitis C virus

“…Anti-HCV treatment is the best-proven means of preventing chronic hepatitis C progression and complications. 5,20,21,26,27 Fast fibrosis progression in HIV/HCVcoinfected patients observed in this study and by other authors, [12][13][14] and specifically progression of patients with initial mild fibrosis, supports that pegylated interferon plus ribavirin should be indicated in this population regardless of the fibrosis stage.…”

“…The distribution of individual antiretroviral drugs and of treatment regimens prescribed during the follow-up is represented in the Table 2. The median (Q1-Q3) length of the initial biopsy was 17 (15)(16)(17)(18)(19)(20)(21)(22)(23)(24)(25) with a range of 12-30 mm. The median (Q1-Q3) length of the second biopsy was 18 (16)(17)(18)(19)(20)(21)(22)(23)(24)(25) with a range of 15-30 mm.…”

“…14 Second, we found that achievement of ETR was associated with a lower probability of fibrosis progression. Regression of liver fibrosis has been observed in HIV-infected and uninfected subjects with chronic hepatitis C who achieve SVR 20,21 and in HCV-monoinfected patients treated with pegylated interferon plus ribavirin without SVR. 22 Suppression of HIV replication through HAART was associated with a slower estimated fibrosis progression rate in a single liver biopsy study.…”

Sustained virological response to interferon plus ribavirin reduces liver-related complications and mortality in patients coinfected with human immunodeficiency virus and hepatitis C virus

“…The investigators found that histological response was correlated with virological response, although a substantial proportion of patients who did not achieve an SVR experienced histological improvement. 19 Likewise, in a subanalysis from the ANRS HC02 RIBAVIC trial, paired liver biopsies from 198 patients were analyzed. In the multivariate analysis, the authors found that didanosine and failure to achieve SVR were significantly associated with worsening of liver fibrosis.…”

HCV virological response during treatment of chronic hepatitis C is associated with liver histological Improvement in patients with HCV/HIV co-infection

“…In some of these, non-responders to treatment with interferon-alpha also had histological improvement or stabilization of fibrosis after treatment [25,26]. Association of virological and histological responses in HCV/HIV coinfected patients was also observed by Lissen et al [27]. These authors reported improvements in hepatic histology in 62% to 74% of SVR patients and in 32% to 43% of nonresponders, according to the type of treatment they used.…”