Longitudinal effect of antiretroviral therapy on markers of hepatic toxicity: impact of hepatitis C coinfection

Clin Infect Dis. 2004 Aug 1;39(3):402-10. doi: 10.1086/422142. Epub 2004 Jul 12.

Abstract

To characterize longitudinal hepatic toxicity of antiretroviral therapy in HIV-infected women with and without hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection, we measured alanine and aspartate aminotransferase values among women initiating highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART). For 312 HIV/HCV coinfected women who received HAART for a mean of 1.8 years, the prevalence of elevated aminotransferase levels >3 times and >5 times the upper limit of normal (ULN) was low (<12% and <4%, respectively), and the prevalence of elevated aminotransferase levels declined over time. When we analyzed trends in aminotransferase levels according to type of HAART received among HCV-infected and uninfected women, we found that mean aminotransferase levels declined among 539 women receiving therapy with protease inhibitors (decreases of 5.34%-4.23% of the ULN per year; P values for trend of.007-.06), but mean values among 128 women receiving therapy with nonnucleoside reverse-transcriptase inhibitors remained stable (from decreases of 1.65% to increases of 7.57% of the ULN per year; P values of.19-.71). Our findings lend support to assertions that antiretroviral therapy is safe for women with HCV infection.

Publication types

  • Multicenter Study
  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, P.H.S.

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Alanine Transaminase / blood*
  • Antiretroviral Therapy, Highly Active / adverse effects*
  • Aspartate Aminotransferases / blood*
  • Biomarkers / blood
  • Chemical and Drug Induced Liver Injury*
  • Female
  • HIV Infections / complications
  • HIV Infections / drug therapy*
  • HIV Infections / enzymology
  • HIV Protease Inhibitors / administration & dosage
  • HIV Protease Inhibitors / adverse effects
  • Hepatitis C / complications*
  • Hepatitis C / enzymology
  • Humans
  • Liver Diseases / diagnosis
  • Longitudinal Studies
  • Middle Aged
  • Reverse Transcriptase Inhibitors / administration & dosage
  • Reverse Transcriptase Inhibitors / adverse effects

Substances

  • Biomarkers
  • HIV Protease Inhibitors
  • Reverse Transcriptase Inhibitors
  • Aspartate Aminotransferases
  • Alanine Transaminase