Influence of concurrent HIV infection on antiviral therapy in patients with chronic hepatitis C

ObjectiveTo investigate the influence of concurrent human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection on antiviral therapy for hepatitis C virus (HCV) in patients with chronic hepatitis C. MethodsTwenty-eight patients with hepatitis C and concurrent HIV infection (HCV/HIV group) and 28 patients with pure HCV infection (HCV group) treated in Ruzhou People′s Hospital and the Sixth People′s Hospital of Zhengzhou from 2013 to 2014 were selected and treated with common interferon combined with ribavirin as anti-HCV therapy. HCV RNA viral load and blood routine were measured at weeks 0, 12, 24, and 48 of therapy and 24 weeks after therapy, and other adverse effects were recorded in detail. The t-test was applied for comparison of continuous data between groups, and chi-square test was applied for comparison of categorical data between groups. ResultsHCV RNA viral load was gradually reduced after antiviral treatment in both groups, and the two groups showed significant differences in sustained virologic response and end-of-treatment virologic response (χ2=6.744 vs 5.622, P=0.013 vs 0.024). As for adverse effects, the two groups showed decreases in leukocyte count, with significant differences between the two groups at weeks 12, 24, and 48 of therapy (t=3.422, 4.443, and 2.949, all P＜0.01). The two groups showed no significant differences in platelet count, gastrointestinal symptoms, and flu-like symptoms (all P＞0.05). ConclusionConcurrent HIV infection has varying degrees of influence on anti-HCV virologic response and adverse effects in patients with chronic hepatitis C.