Early virologic response to an interferon-based regimen
plus ribavirin for hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection predicts sustained
virologic response in patients who are also infected with HIV.
Several studies have already shown that early virologic response
predicts sustained virologic response in patients infected with only
HCV, Dr. Montserrat Laguno from Hospital Clinic Universitari de
Barcelona, and associates explain. But it is unclear whether this holds
true in patients co-infected with HIV and HCV.
Dr. Laguno's group investigated the utility of an early virologic
response to predict a sustained virologic response to HCV therapy in 95
co-infected patients.
Early virologic response was associated with a sustained virologic
response, with a positive predictive value of 64%, the authors report
in the February 1st issue of the Journal of Acquired Immune Deficiency
Syndromes. In contrast, none of the patients without an early virologic
response had a sustained virologic response, the report indicates.
Achieving undetectable HCV RNA at week 4 (a very early virologic
response) predicted sustained virologic response with a positive
predictive value of 89% and a negative predictive value of 70%, the
researchers note.
A very early virologic response had higher positive predictive value
for sustained virologic response when patients received pegylated
interferon as opposed to interferon, the results indicate.
"The results of our study suggest that the rules of reduction of 2
log of the viral load at week 12 of HCV therapy in co-infected patients
have the same value as those in mono-infected patients," the
investigators conclude.
J Acquir Immune Defic Syndr 2007;44:174-178.
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