Third International Congress Drug Therapy in HIV Infection 3-7 November 1996 Glasgow, UK

TREATMENT OF CHRONIC HEPATITIS C WITH INTERFERON α IN PATIENTS INFECTED WITH THE HUMAN IMMUNODEFICIENCY VIRUS 1

S. Mauss, H. Jablonowski, H. Klinker*, A. Ulmer**, C. Niederau, D. Häussinger
Department of Gastroenterology and Infectiology, Heinrich-Heine-University, Düsseldorf, * Department of Internal Medicine, University Würzburg, ** Stuttgart, Germany

Int Cong Drug Therapy HIV 1996 Nov 3-7;3:Abstract No. OP3.5
AIDS 1996, Vol. 10 (Suppl. 2);S12

The objective is to assess efficacy and toxicity of interferon α (IFN) in HIV-seropositive (HIV+) with chronic hepatitis C. This study is an extension of a small controlled trial (1).

Patients are eligible, if ALT is at least 1,5 fold the upper limit for more than 6 months, antibodies against hepatitis C virus (HCV) are present and HCV-RNA is detectable in serum by PCR. HBs-antigen, anti nuclear antibodies and anti smooth muscle antibodies have to be negative. Treatment is planned with IFN α-2b 5 MIU tiw for six months. A reduction to 3 MIU tiw is possible. None of the patients has to have AIDS.

To date 17 HIV+ patients are enrolled. Sixteen patients have completed the 6 months treatment period. Nine HIV+ individuals underwent liver biopsy. Seven out of 9 biopsies showed chronic aggressive hepatitis. There is no correlation between cellular immunosuppression and activity of hepatitis (histology, ALT). Ten out of 16 HIV+ patients responded to IFN-therapy with a complete (n=6) or partial (n=4) remission of hepatitis at the end of treatment. A sustained response after termination of treatment was achieved in 5 out of 12 patients evaluable to date. Hepatitis C virus-RNA became at least temporarily undetectable in 5 patients. All HCV-RNA seroconverters are complete responders to therapy. No severe toxicity of IFN treatment has been seen. All individuals but one completed at least 4 months of treatment.

In contrast to hepatitis B cellular immunosuppression due to HIV does not influence the inflammatory activity of chronic hepatitis C. This supports the hypothesis of a direct cytopathic mechanism of HCV. The results indicate that IFN treatment of chronic hepatitis C in HIV+ patients is successful in a considerable number of individuals. Updated data on follow-up after treatment will be presented at the conference.

1. Mauss S, Heintges T, Adams O, et al. "Treatment of chronic hepatitis C with interferon-α in patients infected with the human immunodeficiency virus", Hepatogastroenterology. 1995 Sep-Oct;42(5):528-34.

Presenting author: S Mauss

1996-11-03
OP3.5

Originally published in AIDS Volume 10, Supplement 2 and hosted with permission of the publisher Lippincott Williams & Wilkins, 250 Waterloo Road, London, SE1 8RD, UK. Tel: +44 (0)20 7981 0700 Fax: +44 (0) 7981 0701

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