HCV/HIV: Good News, Continued Challenges

Questions abound regarding the treatment of hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection in HIV-coinfected patients. Although few definitive answers became available at the 15th Retrovirus Conference, several reports did provide clinically useful information.

We know that interferon-based therapy can clear HCV infection in HIV-coinfected patients, but does such clearance improve clinical outcomes? In a retrospective analysis of 711 coinfected patients, those who achieved sustained virologic response (SVR) had lower rates of death, liver-related death, liver decompensation, and liver transplantation than those who did not achieve SVR [Abstract 60]. This finding is clearly good news, but the fact that only 31% of patients in the cohort achieved SVR highl…