OBJECTIVES: HIV-coinfection accelerates the course of HCV-related liver disease. Since, highly active anti-retroviral therapy significantly improved survival of HIV-patients more coinfected patients develop end stage liver disease. Therefore, treatment options for chronic hepatitis C in HIV-coinfected patients need to be evaluated. METHODS: Efficacy and safety of pegylated interferon alpha-2b (peg IFN) plus ribavirin (RBV) was examined within this prospective, uncontrolled, multicentre trial. Patients received peg IFN (1.5 microg/kg) once weekly plus RBV 800 mg daily for 48 weeks for HCV genotypes (GT) 1/4 and 24 weeks for GT 2/3. RESULTS: One hundred and twenty-two patients were enrolled. Patients were predominantly male (68%) and former i.v. drug users (61%). Baseline characteristics (median) were as follows: age 39 years (range 23-58), CD4 count 494 cells/microl (range 150-1578/microl), HIV-RNA 2.3log copies/ml (range <1.7-5.4log copies/ml). 61% currently received anti-retroviral treatment. Fifty-six percent had HCV GT 1. EOT response was achieved by 52%. However, only 25% achieved sustained response (SR) due to a high relapse rate. SR rates were significantly higher among patients with GT 2/3 compared to those with GT 1/4 (44 vs. 18%). SR was observed in only one patient without early response (ER). Discontinuation rate was 30%, 21% discontinued due to adverse events. CONCLUSION: Peg IFN/RBV appears safe and effective in HIV/HCV-coinfected patients. GT 2/3 is associated with better SR. Lack of ER strongly predicts non-response. High relapse rates substantially reduce treatment success. In terms of toxicity neuro-psychiatric side effects frequently required treatment discontinuation.
OBJECTIVES:HIV-coinfection accelerates the course of HCV-related liver disease. Since, highly active anti-retroviral therapy significantly improved survival of HIV-patients more coinfectedpatients develop end stage liver disease. Therefore, treatment options for chronic hepatitis C in HIV-coinfectedpatients need to be evaluated. METHODS: Efficacy and safety of pegylated interferon alpha-2b (pegIFN) plus ribavirin (RBV) was examined within this prospective, uncontrolled, multicentre trial. Patients received pegIFN (1.5 microg/kg) once weekly plus RBV 800 mg daily for 48 weeks for HCV genotypes (GT) 1/4 and 24 weeks for GT 2/3. RESULTS: One hundred and twenty-two patients were enrolled. Patients were predominantly male (68%) and former i.v. drug users (61%). Baseline characteristics (median) were as follows: age 39 years (range 23-58), CD4 count 494 cells/microl (range 150-1578/microl), HIV-RNA 2.3log copies/ml (range <1.7-5.4log copies/ml). 61% currently received anti-retroviral treatment. Fifty-six percent had HCV GT 1. EOT response was achieved by 52%. However, only 25% achieved sustained response (SR) due to a high relapse rate. SR rates were significantly higher among patients with GT 2/3 compared to those with GT 1/4 (44 vs. 18%). SR was observed in only one patient without early response (ER). Discontinuation rate was 30%, 21% discontinued due to adverse events. CONCLUSION:PegIFN/RBV appears safe and effective in HIV/HCV-coinfectedpatients. GT 2/3 is associated with better SR. Lack of ER strongly predicts non-response. High relapse rates substantially reduce treatment success. In terms of toxicity neuro-psychiatric side effects frequently required treatment discontinuation.
Authors: Joseph Rasimas; Antonios Katsounas; Haniya Raza; Alison A Murphy; Jun Yang; Richard A Lempicki; Anu Osinusi; Henry Masur; Michael Polis; Shyam Kottilil; Donald Rosenstein Journal: J Acquir Immune Defic Syndr Date: 2012-07-01 Impact factor: 3.731
Authors: Mark Hull; Pierre Giguère; Marina Klein; Stephen Shafran; Alice Tseng; Pierre Côté; Marc Poliquin; Curtis Cooper Journal: Can J Infect Dis Med Microbiol Date: 2014 Impact factor: 2.471
Authors: Mark Hull; Marina Klein; Stephen Shafran; Alice Tseng; Pierre Giguère; Pierre Côté; Marc Poliquin; Curtis Cooper Journal: Can J Infect Dis Med Microbiol Date: 2013 Impact factor: 2.471
Authors: Lynn Rozenberg; Bart L Haagmans; Avidan U Neumann; Grace Chen; Mary McLaughlin; Rachel S Levy-Drummer; H Masur; Robin L Dewar; Peter Ferenci; Marcelo Silva; Maria S Viola; Michael A Polis; Shyam Kottilil Journal: AIDS Date: 2009-11-27 Impact factor: 4.177
Authors: Morris Sherman; Stephen Shafran; Kelly Burak; Karen Doucette; Winnie Wong; Nigel Girgrah; Eric Yoshida; Eberhard Renner; Philip Wong; Marc Deschênes Journal: Can J Gastroenterol Date: 2007-06 Impact factor: 3.522
Authors: Anu Osinusi; Joseph J Rasimas; Rachel Bishop; Michael Proschan; Mary McLaughlin; Alison Murphy; Karoll J Cortez; Michael A Polis; Henry Masur; Donald Rosenstein; Shyam Kottilil Journal: J Acquir Immune Defic Syndr Date: 2010-03 Impact factor: 3.731