Changes of body immunity and inflammatory response in HIV/HCV co-infected patients

Abstract

Changes of body immunity and inflammatory response in human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)/hepatitis C virus (HCV) co-infected patients were investigated. Eighty HIV/HCV infected patients admitted to Qingdao No. 6 People's Hospital from August 2015 to December 2017 were selected and divided into two groups according to whether they were complicated with HCV infection or not (n=40 per group). The changes of the related humoral immune indexes, the related cellular immune indexes, the related indexes of hepatic function, the related indexes of inflammatory response in the two groups were compared, and the correlations of high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP) level with alanine aminotransferase (ALT) level, immunoglobulin G (IgG) level and cluster of differentiation 4⁺ (CD4⁺) level in the observation group were analyzed. The levels of related humoral immune indexes [immunoglobulin G (IgG), IgA and IgM levels], the related cellular immune indexes (CD4⁺ and CD8⁺) in the observation group were lower than those in the control group (P<0.05), and the CD4⁺/CD8⁺ ratio in the observation group was lower than that in the control group (P<0.05). The levels of indexes of hepatic function [ALT, aspartate aminotransferase (AST) and total bilirubin] in the observation group were significantly higher than those in the control group (P<0.05). The levels of hs-CRP, interleukin-1 (IL-1) and tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) in the observation group were significantly higher than those in the control group (P<0.05). There were positive correlations of hs-CRP level with ALT level and IgG level in the observation group (P<0.05). There was a negative correlation between hs-CRP level and CD4⁺ level in the observation group (P<0.05). The humoral and cellular immune functions of the HIV/HCV co-infected patients are significantly limited, their hepatic function is significantly impaired and the levels of inflammatory cytokines are markedly increased. The level of hs-CRP is positively correlated with hepatic function and humoral immune function and negatively correlated with cellular immune function.

Keywords: HCV infection; HIV infection; cellular immunity; hepatic function; humoral immunity; inflammatory response.

Figure 1.

Correlation between hs-CRP level and ALT level in the observation group. There is a positive correlation between hs-CRP level and ALT level in the observation group (r=0.8686, P<0.05). hs-CRP, high-sensitivity C-reactive protein; ALT, alanine aminotransferase.

Figure 2.

Correlation between hs-CRP level and IgG level in the observation group. There is a positive correlation between hs-CRP level and IgG level in the observation group (r=0.9240, P<0.05). hs-CRP, high-sensitivity C-reactive protein; IgG, immunoglobulin G.

Figure 3.

Correlation between hs-CRP level and CD4⁺ level in the observation group. There is a negative correlation between hs-CRP level and CD4⁺ level in the observation group (r=−0.9586, P<0.05). hs-CRP, high-sensitivity C-reactive protein; CD4⁺, cluster of differentiation 4⁺.