HIV and HCV co-infection: Situation at six French University Hospitals in the year 2000

The aims of this study were to assess the socio-demographic, epidemiological, clinical, and biological characteristics of French patients co-infected with human immunodeficiency virus-hepatitis C virus (HIV-HCV), as well as the management of their HCV infection. Data on 509 HIV-HCV co-infected patients, followed up at six French University Hospitals, were collected using a questionnaire. Student's t-test, Pearson's chi-square, Fisher's exact, and Fisher-Freeman Halton's exact tests were used. The mean age of the patients was 38.3 years, and the male to female sex ratio 2.08; 88% of patients were born in Metropolitan France, and 20% were dependent on health benefits; 74% were intravenous drug users and 14% blood or blood product recipients. Forty-seven percent were in CDC classification stage A, 18% had a CD4(+) count of <200, and 79% were undergoing current anti retroviral treatment. HCV RNA was positive in 84% (50% type 1, 13% untypable). Forty-four percent had normal alanine aminotransferase (ALT) levels, 24% alcohol consumption >15g/day, and 51% had undergone liver biopsy (10% of which had cirrhosis). Histological grade was not related to ALT level or CD4(+) count. Overall, 40% of patients had been treated for HCV infection. HCV treatment was significantly associated with performance of liver biopsy, histological grade, ALT level, CD4(+) count, Centers for Disease Control (CDC) classification, but not with age or alcohol consumption. Rate of early response to treatment was fifty percent among patients treated with bitherapy. Eighty-nine percent of all patients with previous or current anti-HCV treatment had undergone liver biopsy. In conclusion, despite the difficulties in managing hepatitis C in HIV-infected patients, almost one-half of all patients in this study had received anti-HCV treatment. (C) 2003Wiley-Liss, Inc.