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. 2001 Jul;8(4):690-4.
doi: 10.1128/CDLI.8.4.690-694.2001.

Comparison of hepatitis C viral loads in patients with or without human immunodeficiency virus

J M Matthews-Greer  1 , G C Caldito, S D Adley, R Willis, A C Mire, R M Jamison, K L McRae, J W King, W L Chang
Affiliations

Comparison of hepatitis C viral loads in patients with or without human immunodeficiency virus

J M Matthews-Greer et al. Clin Diagn Lab Immunol. 2001 Jul.

Abstract

A better understanding of how human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) coinfection affects the course of hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection is required to select patients with HIV who would benefit from current HCV therapy. Between June 1996 and March 2000, HCV RNA levels were quantified for 1,279 patients at the Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center; 28 of these patients were coinfected with HIV. HCV loads were quantified by the Bayer branched-DNA assay with a lower limit of detection of 0.2 Meq/ml. We compared the median HCV RNA levels of for patients coinfected with HIV and HCV and patients infected only with HCV who were in the same age range (23 to 55 years). The median HCV load for the 28 patients coinfected with HCV and HIV (17.8 Meq/ml) was significantly greater (P < 0.05) than that for similarly aged patients infected only with HCV (6.1 Meq/ml). The HCV load did not correlate with age or sex for either group of patients. A significant (R = -0.4; P < 0.05) negative correlation was observed between HCV load and CD4 count in the coinfected group, for whom the CD4 counts at the time of HCV load analysis ranged from 6 to 1,773/mm(3). The increased HCV load in patients coinfected with HCV and HIV compared to that in patients infected only with HCV and the inverse relationship of the HCV load to the CD4 count indicate that immunosuppression results in decreased control of HCV replication. In addition, we report significantly higher HCV loads among coinfected African Americans than Caucasians.

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Figures

FIG. 1
FIG. 1
The 924 patients infected only with HCV and with detectable HCV RNA levels (greater than or equal to 0.2 Meq/ml) were divided into age groups of 5-year increments. Their mean HCV RNA levels were graphed for each age group by sex. No significant association was found between age or sex and HCV load.
FIG. 2
FIG. 2
HCV RNA levels for patients coinfected with HCV and HIV were compared to their ages. No correlation (P = 0.2) was found between age and HCV RNA loads.
FIG. 3
FIG. 3
HCV RNA levels for patients coinfected with HCV and HIV were compared to the CD4+ T-cell counts in peripheral blood. The CD4 counts were obtained at the same time as HCV RNA quantitation. A significant inverse relationship (P < 0.05) was found between HCV load and CD4+ T-cell count.
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