Six research developments about patients coinfected with HIV, HCV

The International AIDS Conference is being held in Melbourne, Australia and World Hepatitis Day is July 28.

Here is a list of studies focusing on HIV and HCV coinfection available in Healio/Hepatology and Infectious Disease News:

1. DAAs with ribavirin yielded strong SVR rates in patients with HCV, HIV

In the TURQUOISE-I study, Mark Sulkowski, MD, Johns Hopkins University, and colleagues determined that a regimen of three direct-acting antiviral agents plus ribavirin was safe and effective among patients with hepatitis C virus infection and HIV.

Mark Sulkowski

“The high virologic response rate and low rate of treatment discontinuation observed with [DAA+RBV] in treatment-naive and treatment-experienced HCV GT-1/HIV-1 coinfected patients with or without cirrhosis is consistent with those in HCV GT-1 monoinfected populations receiving this regimen,” the researchers wrote. Read more

2. Sofosbuvir/ribavirin safely, effectively treated patients with HIV, HCV

In the PHOTON-2 clinical trial, researchers found that a majority of patients with HIV and hepatitis C virus achieved sustained virologic response when treated with sofosbuvir plus ribavirin.

“Treatment was well tolerated and safely co-administered with multiple ART regimens,” the researchers wrote. Read more

3. Patients coinfected with HIV, HCV showed spontaneous HCV clearance during ART

Researchers in Sweden found that three patients coinfected with hepatitis C virus and HIV spontaneously became negative for HCV RNA while undergoing antiretroviral therapy, and all had the IL28B CC genotype.

“We argue that HIV/HCV coinfected patients probably should commence ART prior to HCV treatment, in particular if they have the IL28B CC gene, since it might occasionally induce spontaneous HCV clearance of a chronic HCV infection,” the researchers wrote. Read more

4. HCV did not worsen survival rate among HIV, lymphoma patients

Stefan K. Barta, MD, MS, MRCP, of Fox Chase Cancer Center, Philadelphia, and colleagues found that survival rates for patients with HIV being treated for lymphoma and coinfected with hepatitis C virus infection were no worse than patients without HCV.

Stefan K. Barta

“Many patients do experience some reactivation of the hepatitis C virus, but in most patients it seems to be self-limited and does not affect outcomes for cancer treatment,” Barta said in a press release. “Patients undergoing chemotherapy can experience reactivation of the hepatitis C virus, which in turn can lead to liver failure. This means we have to dose-reduce chemotherapy, which could negatively affect outcomes.” Read more

5. Improved prevention, control for HIV/HCV coinfection recommended in Asia

Researchers called for comprehensive prevention and control strategies to assess the frequent epidemics of HIV and hepatitis C virus coinfection across South Asia and Southeast Asia.

“The serious epidemics of [HIV/HCV coinfection] should be emphasized in the prevention and treatment of both diseases in Asia, as there was less published research and fewer evidence prevention strategies compared to Western nations,” the researchers wrote. “Coinfection may accelerate the clinical progress to both diseases, and treatment success for one disease is undermined when the other disease is neglected.” Read more

6. Liver disease persists in HIV/HCV coinfected patients despite ART

Patients coinfected with HIV and hepatitis C have higher rates of liver decompensation compared with patients with hepatitis C monoinfection, despite the use of antiretroviral therapy.

“Our results suggest that serious consideration should be given to initiating hepatitis C treatment in patients coinfected with HIV and hepatitis C — particularly among those with advanced liver fibrosis or cirrhosis — in order to try to reduce the risk of serious, potentially life-threatening liver complications,” Vincent Lo Re III, MD, of the Penn Center for AIDS Research at the University of Pennsylvania, said in a press release. Read more