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AIDS Research and Human Retroviruses
Hepatic Histologic Response (HR) to Combination Therapy among HCV/HIV-Coinfected Individuals: Interferon Induces HR Independent of Sustained Virologic Response (SVR)

To cite this article:
Lynne Wu, Shyam Kottilil, Richard Lempicki, Jun Yang, Mary McLaughlin, Zonghui Hu, Chad Koratich, Kristin N. Reitano, Catherine A. Rehm, Henry Masur, Brad Wood, David E. Kleiner, Michael A. Polis. AIDS Research and Human Retroviruses. November 2006, 22(11): 1091-1098. doi:10.1089/aid.2006.22.1091.

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Lynne Wu
Laboratory of Immunoregulation, NIAID, NIH, DHHS, Bethesda, Maryland.
Shyam Kottilil
Laboratory of Immunoregulation, NIAID, NIH, DHHS, Bethesda, Maryland.
Richard Lempicki
SAIC, NCI-Frederick, and NIH, DHHS, Bethesda, Maryland.
Jun Yang
SAIC, NCI-Frederick, and NIH, DHHS, Bethesda, Maryland.
Mary McLaughlin
Laboratory of Immunoregulation, NIAID, NIH, DHHS, Bethesda, Maryland.
Zonghui Hu
Biostatistics Research Branch, NIAID, NIH, DHHS, Bethesda, Maryland.
Chad Koratich
Laboratory of Immunoregulation, NIAID, NIH, DHHS, Bethesda, Maryland.
Kristin N. Reitano
Laboratory of Immunoregulation, NIAID, NIH, DHHS, Bethesda, Maryland.
Catherine A. Rehm
Laboratory of Immunoregulation, NIAID, NIH, DHHS, Bethesda, Maryland.
Henry Masur
Critical Care Medicine Department, CC, NIH, DHHS, Bethesda, Maryland.
Brad Wood
Diagnostic Radiology Department, CC, NIH, DHHS, Bethesda, Maryland.
David E. Kleiner
National Cancer Institute, NIH, DHHS, Bethesda, Maryland.
Michael A. Polis
Laboratory of Immunoregulation, NIAID, NIH, DHHS, Bethesda, Maryland.

Most HIV/HCV-coinfected patients fail to achieve a sustained virologic response (SVR) to peginterferon-ribavirin therapy. We examined the hepatic histologic response (HR), defined as an improvement in hepatic inflammation scores of two points or more, to combination therapy among HIV/HCV-coinfected subjects. An open label prospective trial treated 32 HIV/HCV-coinfected patients with peginterferon alpha-2b and ribavirin for 48 weeks. Liver biopsies, scored by a single pathologist using the Histology Activity Index (HAI, range 0–18) and Ishak fibrosis scores (range 0–6), were performed before and after treatment. Gene expression profiles of PBMCs were performed using Affymetrix U133A gene chips. A total of 87% of SVR subjects and 88% of nonresponders (NR) had an HR, but no significant change in the liver fibrosis scores was observed (p > 0.05). For genotype 1 patients, a baseline fibrosis score ≤2 was related to a higher likelihood of SVR than those with a score >2 (p = 0.012). Combination therapy for HCV among HIV-coinfected subjects resulted in a modest SVR rate. Persons with mild liver disease had a better SVR rate, suggesting early treatment may be beneficial. Combination therapy resulted in an HR for most of the patients, however, further follow-up of these patients will determine the durability of such an HR.

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