Benefits from sustained virologic response to pegylated interferon plus ribavirin in HIV/hepatitis C virus-coinfected patients with compensated cirrhosis.

BACKGROUND: The objective of this study was to determine the impact of sustained virologic response (SVR) to pegylated interferon (peg-IFN) plus ribavirin (RBV) on the incidence of liver-related complications and overall mortality in human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-infected patients with compensated hepatitis C virus (HCV)-related cirrhosis.

METHODS: We included in this prospective cohort study 166 coinfected patients with compensated cirrhosis, who received peg-IFN plus RBV, to assess the time from the starting date of HCV therapy to the first hepatic decompensation and death due to any cause.

RESULTS: SVR was observed in 43 (25%) individuals. Two (4.6%) patients with SVR developed liver decompensation vs 33 (26.8%) individuals without SVR (P = .002). The incidence of liver-related complications was 0.89 cases per 100 person-years (95% confidence interval [CI], .11-3.1) in SVR patients and 6.4 cases per 100 person-years (95% CI, 4.5-8.9) in non-SVR patients. Factors independently associated with liver decompensation were non-SVR (hazard ratio [HR], 8.1; 95% CI, 1.08-61.5; P = .042) and MELD score ≥9 at baseline (HR, 2.9; 95% CI, 1.2-7.2; P = .016). Two (4.6%) patients with SVR died due to any cause compared with 22 (17.9%) individuals without SVR (P = .02). MELD score ≥9 (HR, 3.1; 95% CI, 1.3-7.7; P = .011) and non-SVR (HR, 8.0; 95% CI, 1.07-61; P = .043) were independently associated with overall mortality.

CONCLUSIONS: The achievement of SVR following peg-IFN plus RBV markedly reduces the incidence of liver-related decompensation and the overall mortality in HIV/HCV-coinfected patients with compensated cirrhosis.