HIV and Hepatitis B, C Co-Infection Is Associated With Increased Mortality

Individuals who are co-infected with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and hepatitis B virus (HBV) and/or hepatitis C virus (HCV) have an increased risk for mortality, according to a recent study.

In an ongoing observation study, the researchers assessed 25,486 individuals with HIV who had visited various treatment centers across the United Kingdom. All participants in the study had been seen for care from 2004 onward and had been tested for HBV and HCV. Median follow-up was 4.5 years.
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Crude rates for all-cause, liver-related, and AIDS-related mortality were determined among participants with HIV alone or with HIV and HBV and/or HCV co-infection. The researchers adjusted results for confounding factors, identified independent predictors of mortality, and estimated the impact of hepatitis co-infection on mortality.

According to multivariable analyses, HBV and HIV co-infection was strongly associated with higher rates of all-cause (adjusted rate ratio [ARR], 1.60) and liver-related mortality (ARR, 10.42). The researchers also found that HIV and HCV co-infection was significantly associated with increased rates of all-cause (ARR, 1.43) and liver-related mortality (ARR, 6.20). However, neither HIV/HBV (ARR, 1.07) nor HIV/HCV co-infection (ARR, .40) were associated with increased rates of AIDS-related mortality.

“The increased rate of all-cause and liver-related mortality among hepatitis-coinfected individuals in this HIV-positive cohort highlights the need for primary prevention and access to effective hepatitis treatment for HIV-positive individuals,” the researchers concluded.

—Christina Vogt

Reference:

Thornton AC, Jose S, Bhagani S, et al; UK Collaborative HIV Cohort Steering Committee. Hepatitis B, hepatitis C, and mortality among HIV-positive individuals. AIDS. 2017;31(18):2525-2532. doi:10.1097/QAD.0000000000001646.