Impact of Socio-Economic, Behavioural and Clinical Factors on Liver Disease Progression in Individuals With HIV and Hepatitis B.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS

Little is known about the contribution of sociodemographic and behavioural factors to developing liver disease in individuals with an HIV and chronic hepatitis B virus (HBV) co-infection. We aimed to quantify the impact of these factors on incident liver disease in individuals with HIV/HBV receiving care in the Netherlands.

METHODS

We used data from the Dutch observational ATHENA cohort combined with Statistics Netherlands. We included all hepatitis B surface antigen-positive individuals with HIV in care from 2008-2022. Severe liver disease (i.e., significant fibrosis (≥F2), cirrhosis, hepatocellular carcinoma, liver transplantation) was defined by physician diagnosis or a transient elastography result > 7 kPa. Determinants of incident liver disease were assessed using Cox proportional hazard models.

RESULTS

In the 1319 individuals included (12,277 person-years (PY); 93.3% HIV-RNA < 200 copies/ml), the incidence rate of severe liver disease was 0.59 per 100 PY [95% confidence interval (CI) = 0.47-0.75]. After adjustment for age and time since HBV diagnosis, tobacco smoking, HCV coinfection and body mass index > 25 kg/m increased the risk of liver disease [adjusted hazards ratio (aHR) = 2.33, 95% CI = 1.38-3.94; aHR = 4.00, 95% CI = 2.18-7.33, aHR = 1.75, 95% CI = 1.05-2.92, respectively]. Conversely, men who have sex with men (vs. other transmission routes, aHR = 0.54, 95% CI = 0.32-0.90), and individuals living in an urbanised municipality (aHR = 0.50, 95% CI = 0.30-0.85) had a reduced risk of liver disease.

CONCLUSIONS

Liver disease progression in people living with HIV/HBV appears to be linked to psychosocial/behavioural factors. More effective screening/management of coinfection and metabolic syndrome, as well as strategies for smoking cessation, should be included in clinical follow-up.