Immune restoration in human immunodeficiency virus and hepatitis C virus coinfected patients after highly active antiretroviral therapy.

OBJECTIVE

To evaluate the influence of hepatitis C virus on immunological and virological responses after highly active antiretroviral therapy initiation in human immunodeficiency virus/hepatitis C virus coinfected patients compared to monoinfected human immunodeficiency virus-infected patients.

METHODS

The study enrolled 65 human immunodeficiency virus-1-infected subjects who initiated highly active antiretroviral therapy and attended follow-up visits over 48 weeks from 2008 to 2010. They were grouped based on hepatitis C virus-RNA results. Virological and immunological responses were monitored at baseline and at the end of weeks 12, 24, 36, and 48.

RESULTS

There were 35 human immunodeficiency virus monoinfected and 30 human immunodeficiency virus/hepatitis C virus coinfected patients. In the present study human immunodeficiency virus/hepatitis C virus coinfection did not seem to influence CD4 T-lymphocytes recovery. There was no difference between the curves of CD4 T-lymphocytes raise of coinfected and monoinfected groups.

CONCLUSION

This prospective study confirms that hepatitis C virus infection does not seem to be associated with impaired CD4 T-lymphocytes recovery after HAART.