JAC Advance Access originally published online on November 9, 2006
Journal of Antimicrobial Chemotherapy 2007 59(1):87-91; doi:10.1093/jac/dkl447
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Low-level liver enzyme elevations during HAART are not associated with liver fibrosis progression among HIV/HCV-coinfected patients
1 Unidad de Enfermedades Infecciosas, Hospital Universitario de Valme Seville, Spain 2 Unidad de Enfermedades Infecciosas, Servicio de Medicina Interna, Hospital Universitario de Valme Seville, Spain
Received 4 June 2006; returned 2 August 2006; revised 26 September 2006; accepted 10 October 2006
*Corresponding author. Tel: +34-955015887; Fax: +34-955015747; E-mail: jmacias{at}cica.es
Objectives: To assess the association between non-severe liver enzyme elevations (LEEs) during antiretroviral treatment and liver fibrosis in HIV/HCV-coinfected patients.
Methods: All co-infected patients from an Infectious Disease Unit who had received treatment with highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) for at least 12 months before undergoing a liver biopsy were included in the study.
Results: One-hundred and sixteen patients met the inclusion criteria of the study. Advanced liver fibrosis was observed in 32 (38%) of 84 patients who developed non-severe LEEs and in 11 (34%) of 32 subjects who developed severe (grade
3) LEEs, (P = 0.7). Seven (6%) of 116 patients showed grade 3 or 4 LEEs for at least 30% of the follow-up. Advanced liver fibrosis was observed in five (71%) of these patients and in 38 (35%) of the 109 subjects who did not develop long-term severe LEEs (P = 0.05). Eight (10%) of 84 patients showed grade 2 LEEs for at least 30% of the follow-up. Advanced liver fibrosis was observed in 28 (37%) of 76 subjects who did not develop long-term grade 2 LEEs and in three (38%) of eight patients who developed them (P = 0.9).
Conclusions: In HIV/HCV-coinfected patients, non-severe LEEs, whether persistent or not, are not associated with advanced liver fibrosis. On the other hand, long-term severe LEEs are associated with more severe liver fibrosis in this population.
Keywords: hepatotoxicity , HIV/HCV coinfection , antiretroviral agents , highly active antiretroviral therapy