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9th Annual Conference Of The British HIV Association [BHIVA]24 – 26 April 2003, University of Manchester
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[AUTHOR(S):] Y Gilleece, C Orkin, R Browne, D Asboe, BG Gazzard and MR Nelson
Chelsea and Westminster Hospital, London, UK
BHIVA Conf 2003 Apr 24-26;9:O14
AIM: To investigate the efficacy of treatment of acute hepatitis C (HCV) infection in individuals co-infected with HIV.
METHODS: Prospective review of outcome of HIV-positive individuals diagnosed with acute HCV infection.
RESULTS: 29 patients were diagnosed with acute HCV infection from December 1997 to January 2003. Three were HCV polymerase chain reaction (PCR) –ve at diagnosis. The patients were offered acute treatment for HCV at diagnosis; 16 were treated: nine (56%) became HCV PCR –ve and seven (44%) patients await follow-up PCRs. Eight (50%) patients received PIFN+RBV and became HCV PCR -ve (1–4 months). Five (31%) of these completed treatment early (2-5 months) and remain PCR -ve at 2-8 month follow-up. One (6%) patient received IFN+RBV for 9 months, became HCV PCR -ve at 5 months and remained so at the 15-month follow-up. One (6%) patient, treated with PIFN only, failed after 6 months of treatment. No patient discontinued PIFN. One patient discontinued RBV due to anaemia. Of nine who declined treatment for HCV, only one (11%) became HCV PCR –ve (follow-up range 1-32 months). 19 of the 29 patients were receiving antiretroviral therapy at the time HCV was diagnosed. Of those on HCV treatment, no patient lost virological control and the mean CD4 change was -14 cells/µl whereas three untreated patients failed with a high viral load and the mean CD4 change was -99 cells/µl.
CONCLUSIONS: Treatment of acute HCV results in higher rates of PCR negativity with no loss of HIV virological control. Tolerability of PIFN and RBV is problematic and our data suggest that shorter courses of HCV treatment should be assessed for efficacy.
PRESENTING AUTHOR: Y Gilleece
030424
O14
Copyright © 2003 - British HIV Association (BHIVA) Reproduction of this abstract (other than one copy for personal reference) must be cleared through the BHIVA Organising Secretariat 1 Mountview Court, 310 Friern Barnet Lane, London N20 0LD