Researchers to study if cocaine use affects liver disease progression in HCV/HIV patients

Researchers from Florida International University’s Robert Stempel College of Public Health and Social Work, Miami, will be conducting a clinical study to determine if and how cocaine use affects liver disease progression among patients with hepatitis C virus and HIV, according to a press release.

“Liver disease is known to shorten the lives of people with HIV,” Marianna K. Baum, MS, PhD, RD, dietetics and nutrition professor at FIU Robert Stempel College of Public Health and Social Work, said in the release. “With 35 million people around the world with HIV— and a large number of them regular drug users — this research is focused on determining how to help them more effectively.”

Marianna K. Baum

Baum and colleagues will use magnetic resonance elastography to study 881 patients with HCV and HIV involved in the Miami Adult Studies on HIV, also known as MASH. These patients are heterosexual Hispanics, African-Americans, women and drug users that have not used needles, and have been followed by Baum and her research team for more than 12 years, according to the release. This new clinical research is looking to expand the size of this cohort to 1,500.

According to the release, cocaine is the most abused drug in South Florida. The abuse of this drug puts this type of subset of patients at risk for treatment failure, lower adherence to medications and may have an independent effect on liver disease.

“The value of this study is that it will service our community because the MASH cohort will include lower-income minorities,” Baum said in the release.

The research will also focus on helping patients make and keep their medical appointments in an effort to overcome health access disparities, according to the release.

Disclosures: Baum is employed by FIU Robert Stempel College.