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Predictors of loss of hepatitis B surface antigen in patients co-infected with HIV and HBV
30-Mar-2010 - Co-infection with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and hepatitis B virus (HBV) poses a treatment challenge.
In Western Europe and the United States, chronic HBV infection has been found in 6% of HIV-positive patients and this co-infection is well
known to be associated with increased liver-related morbidity and mortality. However, factors associated with HBV surface antigen (HbsAg)
loss in HIV and HBV co-infected patients remain unclear.
A research article to be published on March 7, 2010 in the World Journal of Gastroenterology addresses this question. The research
team from St.Luke's-Roosevelt Hospital Center, New York City, USA performed a retrospective chart review of 5681 patients followed up at
St.Luke's-Roosevelt Hospital HIV clinic (the Center for Comprehensive Care) in New York City from Jan 1999 to May 2007. HIV and HBV
co-infection was defined as positive HIV infection and HBsAg serology. The authors compared patients with HBsAg loss to the
rest of the cohort at baseline and at time of loss of HBsAg. Clinical and laboratory parameters including baseline
and follow-up HIV viral loads, CD4 cell counts, alanine aminotransferase (ALT) levels, HCV co-infection,
demographics, and duration of anti-HBV therapy were analyzed to determine factors associated with loss of HBsAg.
Of the 5681 HIV infected patients in the cohort, 355 patients were HIV and HBV co-infected and were evaluated. Of these, 226 patients
with more than 12 mo follow-up were included in the further analysis to better estimate factors associated with loss of HBsAg in the long-term follow-up.
The patients were observed for a mean duration of 45.6 mo (range, 20.8??.1 mo). During the follow-up period, 21 patients lost HBsAg.
In the univariate analysis, baseline CD4 cell count was associated with loss of HBsAg (P = 0.052). Other factors, including baseline ALT,
presence of hepatitis C virus co-infection, baseline HIV viral load, HIV viral load at end of follow-up, CD4 cell count at end of follow-up, CD4 cell count gain,
and treatment with dually active antiretrovirals were not related to loss of HBsAg .
Cox regression analysis revealed that baseline CD4 cell count > 500 cells/mm3 was associated with loss of HBsAg.
The study showed an interesting association of HBsAg loss in HIV-HBV co-infected patients with higher CD4 cell count, suggesting that T-cell cytolytic activity
against HBV may still be effective in clearing HBV infection.
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Reference: Psevdos G Jr, Kim JH, Suh JS, Sharp VL. Predictors of loss of hepatitis B surface antigen in HIV-infected patients. World J Gastroenterol 2010; 16(9): 1093-1096 http://www.wjgnet.com/1007-9327/16/1093.asp
Correspondence to: Dr. Jong Hun Kim, Division of Infectious Diseases, University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, Falk Medical Building, Ste 3A, 3601 Fifth Avenue,
Pittsburgh, PA 15213-2582, United States. kimj4@upmc.edu
Telephone: +1-412-6486406 Fax: +1-412-6486399
About World Journal of Gastroenterology
World Journal of Gastroenterology (WJG), a leading international journal in gastroenterology and hepatology, has established a reputation for publishing
first class research on esophageal cancer, gastric cancer, liver cancer, viral hepatitis, colorectal cancer, and H pylori infection and provides a forum for
both clinicians and scientists. WJG has been indexed and abstracted in Current Contents/Clinical Medicine, Science Citation Index Expanded (also known
as SciSearch) and Journal Citation Reports/Science Edition, Index Medicus, MEDLINE and PubMed, Chemical Abstracts, EMBASE/Excerpta Medica, Abstracts
Journals, Nature Clinical Practice Gastroenterology and Hepatology, CAB Abstracts and Global Health. ISI JCR 2008 IF: 2.081. WJG is a weekly
journal published by WJG Press. The publication dates are the 7th, 14th, 21st, and 28th day of every month. WJG is supported by The
Journal of New Gastroenterology on October 1, 1995, and renamed WJG on January 25, 1998.
About The WJG Press
The WJG Press mainly publishes World Journal of Gastroenterology.
CONTACT:
Jin-Lei Wang
wjg@wjgnet.com
86-105-908-0039
World Journal of Gastroenterology
Source: EurekAlert!
http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2010-03/wjog-pol033010.php
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