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11th Annual Conference Of The British HIV Association [BHIVA]20–23 April 2005, Burlington Hotel·Dublin·Ireland |
[AUTHOR(S):] RE Browne, YC Gilleece, D Asboe, M Atkins, S Mandalia, M Bower, BG Gazzard and MR Nelson
St Stephen’s Centre, Chelsea and Westminster Hospital, London, UK
BHIVA Conf 2005 Apr 20-23;11:O26
OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the effectiveness of treatment of acute hepatitis C infection in HIV-1 positive individuals. Design: Open label, prospective study.
METHODS: Patients diagnosed with acute hepatitis C by positive HCV antibody test had sequential HCV RNA levels measured at 0, 4, 12, 24, 32 and 48 weeks. If HCV RNA positive at 12 weeks patients were offered pegylated interferon α-2b 1.5 µg/Kg/week + weight adjusted ribavirin for 24 weeks. Patients with increasing HCV RNA VL were offered treatment earlier.
RESULTS: 50 male homosexuals, mean age 37 yrs, were identified: 44 via newly abnormal LFT’s, 4 from sexual contact with HCV positive partner and 2 at HIV seroconversion. 12 individuals became HCV RNA -ve spontaneously. This was significantly associated with a high baseline median CD4+ lymphocyte count (P=0.029), CD4+ lymphocyte count >500 (P=0.017) and lower HCV RNA VL (P=0.017). 27 patients accepted treatment, 16 (59%) of whom had a sustained virological response (SVR). This was associated with a higher peak mean ALT (P<0.001) but not with genotype.
CONCLUSIONS: SVR rates in HIV positive patients treated acutely for hepatitis C are lower than in HIV negative subjects. A high percentage of individuals seroconvert spontaneously.
PRESENTING AUTHOR: YC Gilleece
2005-04-20
O26
Copyright © 2005 - 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