Objective: To evaluate the impact of HIV co-infection with HCV or HBV on the efficacy of highly active anti-retroviral therapy (HARRT).
Methods: The patients were divided into three groups: HIV + HBV + HCV co-infection group (23 patients), HIV + HCV co-infection group (166 patients), and HIV-only group (178 patients). HIV RNA, HCV RNA or HBV DNA were detected by real time PCR before treatment and 1, 3, 6, 9 and 12 months after treatment, meanwhile the counts of CD(4)(+) T lymphocyte and liver function including ALT, AST and TBil were tested.
Results: During one-year HAART, HIV RNA of HIV-only group, HIV + HBV + HCV co-infection group and HIV + HCV co-infection group decreased significantly from (6.78 ± 1.08), (6.23 ± 1.34), (6.54 ± 1.23) lg copies/ml to (0.53 ± 0.15), (0.67 ± 0.16), (0.43 ± 0.11) lg copies/ml respectively (P < 0.001). And CD(4)(+) T lymphocyte counts of the three groups elevated significantly from (197 ± 127), (184 ± 113), (213 ± 143) cells/µl to (382 ± 74), (383 ± 70), (378 ± 76) cells/µl respectively (P < 0.001). However there were no differences among the three groups in HIV RNA and CD(4)(+) T lymphocyte counts. There were no differences in liver functions including ALT, AST and TBil among the three groups.
Conclusions: HIV co-infected with HBV and/or HCV does not impact on the efficacy of HAART. What more, HAART does not impact HCV replication.