TY - JOUR
T1 - Fibrosis progression in paired liver biopsies from HIV/HCV co-infected patients
AU - Schiavini, Monica
AU - Angeli, Elena
AU - Mainini, Annalisa
AU - Uberti-Foppa, Caterina
AU - Zerbi, Pietro
AU - Sagnelli, Caterina
AU - Cargnel, Antonietta
AU - Vago, Gianluca
AU - Duca, Pier Giorgio
AU - Giorgi, Riccardo
AU - Rizzardini, Giuliano
AU - Gubertini, Guido
PY - 2011/7
Y1 - 2011/7
N2 - Background: Chronic hepatitis C is more aggressive during HIV infection. Available data about risk factors of liver fibrosis in HIV/HCV co-infected patients derive from studies based on a single liver biopsy. Objectives: To evaluate the risk factors of liver fibrosis progression (LFP) and to investigate the role of antiretroviral therapy (ARV) in HIV/HCV patients who underwent paired liver biopsy. Patients and Methods: We retrospectively studied 58 patients followed at two Infectious Diseases Departments in Northern Italy during the period 1988-2005. All specimens were double-blinded and centrally examined by two pathologists. LFP was defined when an increase of at least one stage occurred in the second biopsy, according to the Ishak-Knodell classification. Results: In a univariate analysis, serum levels of alanine aminotransferase (ALT) > 150 IU/L at the first biopsy (P = 0.02), and a > 20% decrease in CD4+ cell count between the two biopsies (P = 0.007), were significantly associated with LFP. In multivariate analysis, a > 20% decrease in CD4+ cell count remained independently associated to LFP (odds ratio, 3.99; 95% confidence interval, 1.25-12.76; P <0.02). Analysis of life survival curves confirmed the correlation between CD4+ cell count and LFP. Conclusions: Our findings highlight that in HIV/HCV coinfected patients, an effective antiretroviral therapy that assures a good immune-virological profile contributes to reducing the risk of LFP.
AB - Background: Chronic hepatitis C is more aggressive during HIV infection. Available data about risk factors of liver fibrosis in HIV/HCV co-infected patients derive from studies based on a single liver biopsy. Objectives: To evaluate the risk factors of liver fibrosis progression (LFP) and to investigate the role of antiretroviral therapy (ARV) in HIV/HCV patients who underwent paired liver biopsy. Patients and Methods: We retrospectively studied 58 patients followed at two Infectious Diseases Departments in Northern Italy during the period 1988-2005. All specimens were double-blinded and centrally examined by two pathologists. LFP was defined when an increase of at least one stage occurred in the second biopsy, according to the Ishak-Knodell classification. Results: In a univariate analysis, serum levels of alanine aminotransferase (ALT) > 150 IU/L at the first biopsy (P = 0.02), and a > 20% decrease in CD4+ cell count between the two biopsies (P = 0.007), were significantly associated with LFP. In multivariate analysis, a > 20% decrease in CD4+ cell count remained independently associated to LFP (odds ratio, 3.99; 95% confidence interval, 1.25-12.76; P <0.02). Analysis of life survival curves confirmed the correlation between CD4+ cell count and LFP. Conclusions: Our findings highlight that in HIV/HCV coinfected patients, an effective antiretroviral therapy that assures a good immune-virological profile contributes to reducing the risk of LFP.
KW - Antiretroviral therapy
KW - HCV
KW - HIV
KW - Liver fibrosis
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M3 - Article
C2 - 22706343
AN - SCOPUS:79961056818
VL - 11
SP - 525
EP - 531
JO - Hepatitis Monthly
JF - Hepatitis Monthly
SN - 1735-143X
IS - 7
ER -