Progression of chronic hepatitis C to liver fibrosis and cirrhosis in patients coinfected with hepatitis C virus and human immunodeficiency virus

To evaluate the factors associated with the evolution of chronic hepatitis C in human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-infected patients, a cross-sectional analysis of 41 HIV-infected patients with chronic hepatitis C (known as HIV-HCV [hepatitis C virus]-coinfected patients) and a control group of patients with chronic hepatitis C who did not have HIV infection (known as non-HIV-infected patients) was performed. The association of histological variables with demographic parameters, HCV load and genotype, HIV load, CD4(+) T cell count, and response to highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) was evaluated. HIV-HCV-coinfected patients showed a significantly higher HCV load, more-advanced fibrosis, and a higher liver fibrosis progression rate (FPR) than did non-HIV-infected patients. A high HCV load and a low CD4(+) T cell count were associated with a higher FPR. The immune response induced by HAART did not influence this progression. In conclusion, HIV-HCV-infected patients, mainly such patients with a high HCV load and an immunodepressed state, have a higher FPR. An independent effect of the immune response to HAART was not evident.