Liver injury during highly active antiretroviral therapy: the effect of hepatitis C coinfection

Liver function in COVID-19 infection

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) disease affects multiple organs, including anomalies in liver function. In this review we summarize the knowledge about liver injury found during severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection with special attention paid to possible mechanisms of liver damage and abnormalities in liver function tests allowing for the evaluation of the severity of liver disease. Abnormalities in liver function observed in COVID-19 disease are associated with the age and sex of patients, severity of liver injury, presence of comorbidity and pre-treatment. The method of antiviral treatment can also impact on liver function, which manifests as increasing values in liver function tests. Therefore, analysis of variations in liver function tests is necessary in evaluating the progression of liver injury to severe disease.

Epidemiology, Predisposing Factors, and Outcomes of Drug-Induced Liver Injury

Idiosyncratic drug-induced liver injury (DILI) is an underreported and underestimated adverse drug reaction. A recent population-based study found a crude incidence of approximately 19 cases per 100,000 a year. Amoxicillin-clavulanate continues to be the most commonly implicated agent in most Western countries, reported to occur in approximately 1 of 2300 users. In patients with drug-induced autoimmune hepatitis, liver tests often do not normalize with cessation of the drugs and require corticosteroids. DILI associated with jaundice can lead to death from liver failure or require liver transplantation in at least 10% of cases.

Survival of HIV/HCV co-infected patients before introduction of HCV direct acting antivirals (DAA)

HIV/HCV infection is supposed to substantially reduce survival as compared to HIV mono-infection. Here, we compared longtime-survival and causes of death in a cohort of HIV- and HIV/HCV-co-infected patients on combined antiretroviral therapy (cART), before introduction of HCV direct acting antivirals (DAA). 322 Caucasian patients with HIV (n = 176) and HIV/HCV-infection (n = 146) were enrolled into this study. All patients were recruited between 2003 and 2004 and followed until 01.01.2014. We compared overall survival between the two groups by the Kaplan-Meyer method and identified independent factors associated with long-time survival by conditional Cox regression analysis. In total 46 (14.3%) patients died during the observation period (HIV infection: n = 23 (13.1%), HIV/HCV infection: n = 23 (15.8%) but overall-survival did not differ significantly between HIV/HCV-infected and HIV mono-infected patients (p = 0.619). Survival was substantially better in patients with complete suppression of HIV replication below the level of detection than in those with residual viremia (p = 0.001). Age (p = 0.008), γ-glutamyltranspeptidase (p < 0.0001) and bilirubin (p = 0.008) were significant predictors of survival irrespective from HCV co-infection. Complete repression of HIV replication on cART is the key factor determining survival both in HIV- and HIV/HCV-co-infected patients, while HCV co-infection and therapy without DAAs seem to affect survival to a lesser extent. Thus, patients with HIV/HCV co-infection require particularly intensive cART.

Use of Non-invasive Testing to Stage Liver Fibrosis in Patients with HIV

Patients with HIV have a proclivity to develop liver fibrosis, especially when associated with other conditions such as HCV, HBV, and NAFLD. Identifying HIV-infected patients with significant fibrosis or cirrhosis plays an important role in clinical and therapeutic decision-making. Liver biopsy is currently considered as the gold standard for fibrosis assessment but carries many shortcomings (cost, invasiveness, complications, false negative rate of 20 %). Multiple non-invasive methods of liver fibrosis assessment have been developed, but not all have been studied in HIV-infected individuals. Non-invasive liver fibrosis tools include both serologic-based testing scores (rely on direct and/or indirect markers) such as APRI, FIB4, FibroTest, FibroSpect II, HepaScore, or imaging-based methods such as vibration controlled liver elastography. There is validated data to support the use of non-invasive modalities of fibrosis assessment in HIV-HCV co-infected individuals for the exclusion of cirrhosis, but may be poorly reliable or not enough data exists for the assessment of other co-morbid disease processes.

Diagnosis and Management of Drug-Induced Liver Injury (DILI) in Patients with Pre-Existing Liver Disease

The relationship between drugs and pre-existing liver disease is complex, particularly when increased liver tests (LTs) or new symptoms emerge in patients with pre-existing liver disease during drug therapy. This requires two strategies to assess whether these changes are due to drug-induced liver injury (DILI) as a new event or due to flares of the underlying liver disease. Lacking a valid diagnostic biomarker, DILI is a diagnosis of exclusion and requires causality assessment by RUCAM, the Roussel Uclaf Causality Assessment Method, to establish an individual causality grading of the suspected drug(s). Flares of pre-existing liver disease can reliably be assessed in some hepatotropic virus infections by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and antibody titers at the beginning and in the clinical course to ascertain flares during the natural course of the disease. Unfortunately, flares cannot be verified in many other liver diseases such as alcoholic liver disease, since specific tests are unavailable. However, such a diagnostic approach using RUCAM applied to suspected DILI cases includes clinical and biological markers of pre-existing liver diseases and would determine whether drugs or underlying liver diseases caused the LT abnormalities or the new symptoms. More importantly, a clear diagnosis is essential to ensure effective disease management by drug cessation or specific treatment of the flare up due to the underlying disease.

Long-Term Liver Diseases after Initiation of Antiretroviral Therapy in HIV-Infected Patients with and without HBV or HCV Coinfection

Coinfection of hepatitis B virus (HBV) or hepatitis C virus (HCV) with HIV is common and associated with increased mortality and increased risk of progression to chronic liver disease. We aimed to study long-term liver diseases after initiation of antiretroviral therapy (ART) in HIV-infected patients with and without HBV or HCV coinfection. A retrospective cohort of 92 patients (32 patients with HBV and/or HCV coinfection) was analyzed. Overall mean age was 38.3 years, and 54.3% were males. Immunological and virological responses were similar between the 2 groups ( P > .05). During a median follow-up period of 6.1 years, 12 (13.0%) patients had liver diseases. Kaplan-Meier analysis showed that the coinfection group had a significantly higher probability of developing liver diseases after ART (log-rank test, P < .001). Among the subgroup of 32 patients with coinfection, patients who were initiated ART at CD4 count <200 cells/mm³ had a higher rate of liver diseases compared to those who were initiated ART at CD4 count ≥200 cells/mm³ (42.3% versus 16.7%; P = .004).

Drug-induced liver injury: Is chronic liver disease a risk factor and a clinical issue?

INTRODUCTION

Clinicians and practitioners caring for patients with chronic liver disease are often unsure whether drug therapy is a hazard that increases their patient's risk for drug-induced liver injury (DILI). Areas covered: We searched for reports of drug induced liver injury, both idiosyncratic and intrinsic, in patients with chronic liver disease including non-alcoholic and alcoholic liver disease, and cirrhosis. Reports we analyzed include statin treatment in patients with fatty liver, acetaminophen use in alcoholic fatty liver, antituberculous drugs in patients with tuberculosis and viral hepatitis, antiviral medications in hepatitis and antiretroviral medications in HIV/AIDS. The most challenging cases we found are drug therapy in patients with decompensated liver cirrhosis. Expert opinion: We identified many case reports and case series discussing a potential increased risk of DILI in patients with pre-existing liver disease. However, most of these reports were retrospective and ambiguous. With few exceptions, we conclude that drugs seem to be well tolerated by the majority of patients with pre-existing, non-cirrhotic chronic liver diseases. Special care is needed for some therapies, however, including antiviral therapy in chronic hepatitis B and C and in decompensated liver cirrhosis with impaired drug metabolism. Prospective studies are warranted to valid our conclusions.

Antiretroviral therapy and liver disease progression in HIV and hepatitis C co-infected patients: a systematic review and meta-analysis

Background

HIV co-infection exacerbates hepatitis C disease, increasing the risk of cirrhosis and hepatitis C-related mortality. Combination antiretroviral therapy (cART) is the current standard treatment for co-infected individuals, but the impact of cART and antiretroviral (ARV) monotherapy on liver disease in this population is unclear. We aimed to assess the effect of cART and ARV monotherapy on liver disease progression and liver-related mortality in individuals co-infected with HIV and chronic hepatitis C.

Methods

A systematic review with meta-analyses was conducted. MEDLINE and EMBASE bibliographic databases were searched up to September 2015. Study quality was assessed using a modified Newcastle-Ottawa scale. Results were synthesised narratively and by meta-analysis.

Results

Fourteen observational studies were included. In analyses that adjusted for potential confounders, risk of liver-related mortality was significantly lower in patients receiving cART (hazard ratio/odds ratio 0.31, 95 % CI 0.14 to 0.70). Results were similar in unadjusted analyses (relative risk 0.40, 95 % CI 0.29 to 0.55). For outcomes where meta-analysis could not be performed, results were less consistent. Some studies found cART was associated with lower incidence of, or slower progression of liver disease, fibrosis and cirrhosis, while others showed no evidence of benefit. We found no evidence of liver-related harm from cART or ARV monotherapy compared with no HIV therapy.

Conclusions

cART was associated with significantly lower liver-related mortality in patients co-infected with HIV and HCV. Evidence of a positive association between cART and/or ARV monotherapy and liver-disease progression was less clear, but there was no evidence to suggest that the absence of antiretroviral therapy was preferable.

Electronic supplementary material

The online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s41124-016-0015-7) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

Highly active antiretroviral therapy-related hepatotoxicity in human immunodeficiency virus and hepatitis C virus co-infected patients with advanced liver fibrosis in Taiwan

BACKGROUND

The prevalence of patients co-infected with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and hepatitis C virus (HCV) is higher in Taiwan than in Western countries. This study aimed to analyze the frequency and risk factors for highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART)-related liver toxicity in patients co-infected with HIV and HCV with advanced liver fibrosis in Taiwan.

METHODS

This retrospective cohort study included 228 HAART-experienced and HAART-naïve patients who were co-infected with HIV and HCV from January 2013 to December 2013 in Taiwan. Transaminase elevation (TE) was defined by grades. Fibrosis 4 score and aspartate-to-platelet ratio index were used to evaluate liver fibrosis. Cox proportional hazard regression model was used to analyze the risk factors for time to TE events.

RESULTS

A total of 228 patients were included. Only two episodes (1.28%) of high-grade TE were observed. The overall prevalence rate of TE was 16%, and the incidence was 1.38 cases/100 patient-months. Two predictive factors of TE were the initiation of HAART during the study period and CD4 cell count less than 350 cells/mm(3). Subgroup analysis showed that HAART improved liver fibrosis status in patients who had advanced liver fibrosis at baseline (p = 0.033).

CONCLUSION

The frequency of HAART-related TE in HIV and HCV co-infected patients in Taiwan was much lower than that observed in previous studies. Pre-existing advanced liver fibrosis had no influence on the frequency of TE. The use of HAART showed benefits on liver fibrosis progression in patients with underlying advanced liver fibrosis.

An evaluation of hepatic enzyme elevations among HIV-infected released prisoners enrolled in two randomized placebo-controlled trials of extended release naltrexone

Extended-release naltrexone (XR-NTX), an approved treatment for opioid or alcohol dependence, is a once-monthly injectable formulation of naltrexone. Hepatotoxicity concerns have limited its use, necessitating further investigation. This study aims to examine hepatic enzyme levels in participants of 2 randomized placebo-controlled trials (RCTs) of XR-NTX. Hepatic transaminases were measured in 85 patients enrolled in RCTs of XR-NTX among HIV-infected prisoners, transitioning to the community and receiving treatment for either dependence on alcohol (52.9%), opioids (44.7%) or both (16.5%). Baseline characteristics included HCV co-infection (55.7%), antiretroviral therapy (81%), mental illness (39%) and receiving psychiatric medications (34.1%). Levels of aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and gamma glutamyl transferase (GGT) were not statistically different between persons randomized to placebo (N=24) and XR-NTX (N=61) arms. These results confirm that XR-NTX is safe to use among opioid and alcohol dependent HIV-infected released prisoners receiving ART with high rates of co-morbid HCV infection and mental illness.

Hepatotoxicity and drug interactions in liver transplant candidates and recipients

In this article the medications that have been shown to increase rates of drug-induced liver injury in patients with cirrhosis and the important drug-drug interactions in recipients of liver transplantation are reviewed. In general, the risk of drug-induced liver injury in patients with cirrhosis does not seem to be higher when compared with the noncirrhotic population. There are, however, 2 classes of agents that have been implicated-medications used to treat tuberculosis and medications used to treat human immunodeficiency virus infection. However, with careful monitoring, even significant interactions can be effectively managed.

Liver transplantation for patients with human immunodeficiency virus and hepatitis C virus coinfection with special reference to hemophiliac recipients in Japan

Liver transplantation for patients with hepatitis C virus (HCV) and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) remains challenging. The advent of highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) for HIV has reduced mortality from opportunistic infection related to acquired immunodeficiency syndrome dramatically, while about 50% of patients die of end-stage liver cirrhosis resulting from HCV. In Japan, liver cirrhosis frequently develops after HCV-HIV coinfection resulting from previously transfused infected blood products for hemophilia. The problems of liver transplantation for those patients arise from the need to control calcineurin inhibitor with HAART drugs, the difficulty of using interferon after liver transplantation with HAART, and the need to control intraoperative coagulopathy associated with hemophilia. We review published reports of liver transplantation for these patients in the updated world literature.

Therapeutic monitoring and variability of atazanavir in HIV-infected patients, with and without HCV coinfection, receiving boosted or unboosted regimens

BACKGROUND

Adequate plasma trough concentrations (Ctrough) of protease inhibitors are required to maintain antiviral activity throughout the dosing interval. Therapeutic drug monitoring is used in clinical practice to optimize dosage and avoid toxic or subtherapeutic drug exposure. The pharmacokinetic variability of Atazanavir (ATV) can be relatively large, as a result of several factors. One of the affecting factors may be hepatic impairment due to hepatitis C virus (HCV) coinfection.

METHODS

We collected trough plasma samples from human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-1-infected outpatients, with and without HCV coinfection and/or cirrhosis, receiving stable highly active antiretroviral therapy containing ATV. In the total population, we mainly compared the 2 regimens: 300ATV + 100RTV OD [ritonavir (RTV), once daily (OD)] versus 400ATV OD. We used a threshold value of 0.15 μg/mL, based on the proposed therapeutic range (0.15-0.85 μg/mL). Plasma concentrations of ATV were determined by a validated assay using high-performance liquid chromatography with ultraviolet detection. A total of 214 HIV-infected outpatients were included. For each regimen, we compared 3 groups of subjects: HIV+/HCV-, HIV+/HCV+, and HIV+/HCV+ with cirrhosis.

RESULTS

In the whole study population, we observed a large variability and found suboptimal Ctrough levels (<0.15 μg/mL) in 23 subjects (2 belonging to the 300/100 OD group and 21 to the 400 OD group). For the standard dosage regimen of 300ATV + 100RTV OD, we did not find a statistical difference between HIV-infected patients without HCV coinfection versus HIV-infected patients with HCV coinfection: median 0.85 (interquartile range 0.53-1.34) and 0.95 (0.70-1.36) μg/mL, respectively. In HIV+/HCV+-infected patients with cirrhosis, we found a median Ctrough of 0.70 (0.43-1.0) μg/mL, with no statistical difference when compared with HIV+/HCV- infected patients. For the 400ATV OD (n=90) dosage regimen, the total median ATV Ctrough was 0.40 (0.23-1.0) μg/mL. In this group, we found a statistically significant difference between HIV+/HCV- and HIV+/HCV+-infected patients: median Ctrough was 0.23 (0.11-0.42) and 0.52 (0.20-1.0) μg/mL, respectively. In HIV+/HCV+ subjects with cirrhosis, the Ctrough median value was 0.42 (0.13-0.75) μg/mL, and there was a significant difference when compared with HIV patients without coinfection.

CONCLUSIONS

Therapeutic drug monitoring of ATV in patients receiving unboosted regimen may be useful to identify those HIV-infected subjects, with or without HCV coinfection, who may benefit from adding low RTV doses, or the subset of patients in whom removal of RTV could be attempted without the risk of suboptimal plasma ATV exposure.

Association of high viral load and abnormal liver function with high aflatoxin B1-albumin adduct levels in HIV-positive Ghanaians: preliminary observations

We examined the association between certain clinical factors and aflatoxin B(1)-albumin adduct (AF-ALB) levels in HIV-positive people. Plasma samples collected from 314 (155 HIV-positive and 159 HIV-negative) people were tested for AF-ALB levels, viral load, CD4+ T-cell count, liver function profile, malaria parasitaemia, and hepatitis B and C virus infections. HIV-positive participants were divided into high and low groups based on their median AF-ALB of 0.93 pmol mg(-1) albumin and multivariable logistic and linear regression methods used to assess relationships between clinical conditions and AF-ALB levels. Multivariable logistic regression showed statistically significant increased odds of having higher HIV viral loads (OR=2.84; 95% CI=1.17-7.78) and higher direct bilirubin levels (OR=5.47; 95% CI=1.03-22.85) among HIV-positive participants in the high AF-ALB group. There were also higher levels of total bilirubin and lower levels of albumin in association with high AF-ALB. Thus, aflatoxin exposure may contribute to high viral loads and abnormal liver function in HIV-positive people and so promote disease progression.

Liver toxicity of antiretroviral combinations including fosamprenavir plus ritonavir 1400/100 mg once daily in HIV/hepatitis C virus-coinfected patients

Abstract Our objective was to evaluate the liver toxicity of antiretroviral regimens including fosamprenavir plus ritonavir (FPV/r) 1400/100 mg once daily (QD) in HIV/hepatitis C virus (HCV)-coinfected patients. This was a prospective cohort study that included 117 HIV/HCV-coinfected patients who started FPV/r 1400/100 mg QD-based antiretroviral therapy (ART) and who neither had received a previous antiretroviral regimen containing FPV nor had a past history of virologic failure while receiving protease inhibitors (PI). The primary end point of the study was the occurrence of grade 3-4 liver enzymes elevations (LEE) within 1 year after starting FPV/r QD. Factors potentially associated with grade 3-4 LEE, including baseline liver fibrosis, were analyzed. Eleven (9%) patients had a grade 3-4 LEE during the follow-up, resulting in an incidence of severe liver toxicity of 9% (95% confidence interval 4.1-14.6%). None of these cases led to FPV/r discontinuation. Baseline liver fibrosis could be assessed in 97 (83%) patients. Six of 71 patients (8%) with significant fibrosis had a grade 3-4 LEE versus 2 of 26 (8%) without significant fibrosis (p=1.0). Twenty (21%) patients had cirrhosis at baseline. There were no cases of LEE among cirrhotics. In conclusion, the incidence of severe liver toxicity after 1 year of therapy with FPV/r QD-based ART in HIV/HCV-coinfected patients is similar to what has been reported with other boosted PIs. In addition, the presence of significant fibrosis or cirrhosis was not associated with the emergence of liver toxicity. Thus, ART regimens containing FPV/r QD may be considered safe in HIV/HCV-coinfected patients, including those with cirrhosis.

The French national prospective cohort of patients co-infected with HIV and HCV (ANRS CO13 HEPAVIH): early findings, 2006-2010

Background

In France, it is estimated that 24% of HIV-infected patients are also infected with HCV. Longitudinal studies addressing clinical and public health questions related to HIV-HCV co-infection (HIV-HCV clinical progression and its determinants including genetic dimension, patients' experience with these two diseases and their treatments) are limited. The ANRS CO 13 HEPAVIH cohort was set up to explore these critical questions.

To describe the cohort aims and organization, monitoring and data collection procedures, baseline characteristics, as well as follow-up findings to date.

Methods

Inclusion criteria in the cohort were: age > 18 years, HIV-1 infection, chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection or sustained response to HCV treatment. A standardized medical questionnaire collecting socio-demographic, clinical, biological, therapeutic, histological, ultrasound and endoscopic data is administered at enrolment, then every six months for cirrhotic patients or yearly for non-cirrhotic patients. Also, a self-administered questionnaire documenting socio-behavioral data and adherence to HIV and/or HCV treatments is administered at enrolment and yearly thereafter.

Results

A total of 1,175 patients were included from January 2006 to December 2008. Their median age at enrolment was 45 years and 70.2% were male. The median CD4 cell count was 442 (IQR: 304-633) cells/μl and HIV RNA plasma viral load was undetectable in 68.8%. Most participants (71.6%) were on HAART. Among the 1,048 HIV-HCV chronically co-infected patients, HCV genotype 1 was predominant (56%) and cirrhosis was present in 25%. As of January, 2010, after a median follow-up of 16.7 months (IQR: 11.3-25.3), 13 new cases of decompensated cirrhosis, nine hepatocellular carcinomas and 20 HCV-related deaths were reported, resulting in a cumulative HCV-related severe event rate of 1.9/100 person-years (95% CI: 1.3-2.5). The rate of HCV-related severe events was higher in cirrhotic patients and those with a low CD4 cells count, but did not differ according to sex, age, alcohol consumption, CDC clinical stage or HCV status.

Conclusion

The ANRS CO 13 HEPAVIH is a nation-wide cohort using a large network of HIV treatment, infectious diseases and internal medicine clinics in France, and thus is highly representative of the French population living with these two viruses and in care.

Incidence of Severe Hepatotoxicity Related to Antiretroviral Therapy in HIV/HCV Coinfected Patients

Introduction. Hepatotoxicity is a concern in HIV/hepatitis C virus (HCV) coinfected patients due to their underlying liver disease. This study assessed the incidence of hepatotoxicity in HIV/HCV co-infected patients in two outpatient infectious diseases clinics. Methods. HIV/HCV co-infected adults were included in this retrospective study if they were PI or NNRTI naïve at their first clinic visit and were initiated on an NNRTI- and/or PI-based antiretroviral regimen. Patients were excluded if they had active or chronic hepatitis B virus (HBV). The primary objective was to determine the overall incidence of severe hepatotoxicity. Results. Fifty-six of the 544 patients identified met inclusion criteria. The incidence of severe hepatotoxicity was 10.7% (6/56 patients). Severe hepatotoxicity occurred with efavirenz (N = 2), nevirapine (N = 1), indinavir (N = 1), nelfinavir (N = 1), and saquinavir/ritonavir (N = 1). Conclusion. The incidence of severe hepatotoxicity appears to be low in this retrospective analysis of HIV/HCV co-infected patients receiving a PI-and/or NNRTI-based regimen.

Can serum hyaluronic acid replace simple non-invasive indexes to predict liver fibrosis in HIV/Hepatitis C coinfected patients?

BACKGROUND

Hyaluronic acid (HA) serum levels correlate with the histological stages of liver fibrosis in hepatitis C virus (HCV) monoinfected patients, and HA alone has shown very good diagnostic accuracy as a non-invasive assessment of fibrosis and cirrhosis. The aim of this study was to evaluate serum HA levels as a simple non-invasive diagnostic test to predict hepatic fibrosis in HIV/HCV-coinfected patients and to compare its diagnostic performance with other previously published simple non-invasive indexes consisting of routine parameters (HGM-1, HGM-2, Forns, APRI, and FIB-4).

METHODS

We carried out a cross-sectional study on 201 patients who all underwent liver biopsies and had not previously received interferon therapy. Liver fibrosis was determined via METAVIR score. The diagnostic accuracy of HA was assessed by area under the receiver operating characteristic curves (AUROCs).

RESULTS

The distribution of liver fibrosis in our cohort was 58.2% with significant fibrosis (F≥2), 31.8% with advanced fibrosis (F≥3), and 11.4% with cirrhosis (F4). Values for the AUROC of HA levels corresponding to significant fibrosis (F≥2), advanced fibrosis (F≥3) and cirrhosis (F4) were 0.676, 0.772, and 0.863, respectively. The AUROC values for HA were similar to those for HGM-1, HGM-2, FIB-4, APRI, and Forns indexes. The best diagnostic accuracy of HA was found for the diagnosis of cirrhosis (F4): the value of HA at the low cut-off (1182 ng/mL) excluded cirrhosis (F4) with a negative predictive value of 99% and at the high cut-off (2400 ng/mL) confirmed cirrhosis (F4) with a positive predictive value of 55%. By utilizing these low and high cut-off points for cirrhosis, biopsies could have theoretically been avoided in 52.2% (111/201) of the patients.

CONCLUSIONS

The diagnostic accuracy of serum HA levels increases gradually with the hepatic fibrosis stage. However, HA is better than other simple non-invasive indexes using parameters easily available in routine clinical practice only for the diagnosing of cirrhosis.

Risk factors for idiosyncratic drug-induced liver injury

Idiosyncratic drug-induced liver injury (DILI) is a rare disorder that is not related directly to dosage and little is known about individuals who are at increased risk. There are no suitable preclinical models for the study of idiosyncratic DILI and its pathogenesis is poorly understood. It is likely to arise from complex interactions among genetic, nongenetic host susceptibility, and environmental factors. Nongenetic risk factors include age, sex, and other diseases (eg, chronic liver disease or human immunodeficiency virus infection). Compound-specific risk factors include daily dose, metabolism characteristics, and propensity for drug interactions. Alcohol consumption has been proposed as a risk factor for DILI from medications, but there is insufficient evidence to support this. Many studies have explored genetic defects that might be involved in pathogenesis and focused on genes involved in drug metabolism and the immune response. Multicenter databases of patients with DILI (the United States Drug Induced Liver Injury Network, DILIGEN, and the Spanish DILI registry) are important tools for clinical and genetic research. A genome-wide association study of flucloxacillin hepatotoxicity has yielded groundbreaking results and many similar studies are underway. Nonetheless, DILI is challenging to investigate because of its rarity, the lack of experimental models, the number of medications that might cause it, and challenges to diagnosis.

Liver transplantation in HIV-positive patients

Death from end-stage liver disease (ESLD) because of chronic hepatitis B and C has become an increasing problem in human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-infected patients in the last years. This is mainly because of the dramatic decrease of HIV-related morbidity and mortality since the introduction of highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART). Although the data on the outcome of liver transplantation in HIV-infected recipients with ESLD is limited, overall results seem comparable to non-HIV-infected recipients. Therefore, liver transplant centres around the world are increasingly accepting HIV-infected individuals as organ recipients. Post-transplantation control of HIV replication is achieved by continuing HAART. As in non-HIV-infected patients, hepatitis B virus recurrence is efficiently prevented by hepatitis B immunoglobulin and antiviral therapy. Re-infection of the allograft with hepatitis C virus, however, remains an important problem, and progress to allograft cirrhosis may even be more rapid than in HIV-negative patients. Interactions in drug metabolism between the HAART components and the immunosuppressive drugs are difficult to predict and require close monitoring of drug levels and dose adjustments. The complexity in this setting makes close cooperation between transplant surgeons, hepatologists, HIV-clinicians and pharmacologists mandatory. As experience on liver transplantation in HIV-infected individuals is still limited, to date results from large prospective trials addressing key issues are needed.

Highly active antiretroviral therapy improves ESLD-free survival in HIV-HCV co-infection

The impact of highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) on progression to end-stage liver disease (ESLD) in human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)/hepatitis C virus (HCV) co-infection remains controversial. We studied 157 HCV+ haemophilic men (85 HIV+ and 72 HIV-), on whom dates of HIV and HCV seroconversion and clinical outcomes were known. Time to ESLD was determined by Kaplan-Meier product-limit methods and risk factors for ESLD progression were analysed by a Cox proportional hazards model. Among HIV+ men, ESLD was more common, 17 of 85 (20.0%) than in HIV-, eight of 72 (11.1%) and median ESLD-free survival significantly shorter, P = 0.009, hazard ratio 3.00 [95% confidence interval (CI): 1.27-7.08]. HAART treated HIV+ had longer ESLD-free survival than HIV+ untreated, 30.3 vs. 20.0 years, P = 0.043, hazard ratio, 3.14 (95% CI: 1.27-7.08), comparable with survival in HIV- men, P = 0.13, hazard ratio 2.20 (95% CI: 0.76-2.35). Progression was unrelated to HAART toxicity (n = 0) or HCV antiviral therapy (n = 7). HIV+ HAART Rx and HIV- did not differ in HCV duration, age at ESLD, age at death or present, overall or AIDS mortality, all P > 0.05. These data suggest that HAART improves ESLD-free survival, approaching that in HIV- men.

Clinical management of HIV/hepatitis C virus coinfection

PURPOSE

The purpose of this study was to review the current management of hepatitis C virus (HCV) in persons coinfected with HIV.

DATA SOURCES

Comprehensive review of current scientific literature derived from electronic databases, article bibliographies, and conference abstracts.

CONCLUSIONS

HCV treatment is feasible in the individual coinfected with HIV; however, therapy is complex and requires intensive monitoring and support to achieve the outcome of viral eradication. New strategies to improve HCV treatment rates, adherence to therapy, and virological response rates are needed in this patient population.

IMPLICATIONS FOR PRACTICE

Nurse practitioners are crucial to the management of the HIV/HCV-coinfected patient. This patient population requires detailed clinical monitoring, education, side effect management, and strategies to improve adherence to therapy.

[Safety of atazanavir in patients with HIV and hepatitis B and/or C virus coinfection]

Atazanavir is a protease inhibitor indicated, in combination with other antiretrovirals, as an initial treatment of HIV infection or in previously treated patients. Antiretroviral treatment based on atazanavir has been associated with a low incidence of hepatotoxicity, both in Clinical Trials as well as in cohort studies. However, the finding of hyperbilirubinaemia has been common in these studies, although it usually does not involve withdrawing the treatment. In patients co-infected with hepatitis B or C, the level of virological response to does not appear to be affected and the incidence of adverse effects, except the higher incidence of hepatotoxicity, is no higher than in non-coinfected subjects. The incidence of severe hepatotoxicity (grade 3-4) in patients coinfected by HIV and HVC who receive drug combinations that contain atazanavir is 6%. Atazanavir has a favourable tolerance and safety profile in patients coinfected with hepatitis virus even in the presence of significant fibrosis. The lower association of atazanavir with the development of insulin resistance, a fact that has been associated with increasing the progression to hepatic fibrosis and lower treatment response rates, could be an added benefit of the use atazanavir in coinfected patients and could serve as an additional argument for its use in these patients.

Using controlled clinical trials to learn more about acute drug-induced liver injury

Drug-induced liver injury (DILI) is of major interest to hepatologists and clinicians in general, patients, government regulators, and the pharmaceutical industry. Understanding why this form of injury occurs only in certain individuals has major implications for the development and availability of drug therapies and in the prevention of these events. A single controlled clinical trial may be unlikely to show cases of such rare events, but in the aggregate, clinical trials offer a unique resource for learning more about individual susceptibility and developing truly predictive new biomarkers for DILI. We pose the question as to whether clinical trials could be modified or improved to provide data that would better answer some of the outstanding issues. At a recent (March 2008) public meeting, experts from academia, industry, and regulatory bodies discussed several major issues regarding liver safety in clinical trials including: what signals of liver injury should justify stopping administration of study drug or allowing it to continue; if deliberate rechallenge should be done and under what circumstances; whether patients with liver disease should be included in clinical trials; and what kinds of new biomarkers will be needed to answer these questions more clearly. Past clinical trials have not provided data to settle those issues, and reliance has defaulted to consensus of expert opinions. Modified and better clinical trials with standardized collection of data and biospecimens are probably the best source of new and potentially valuable information to supplant current rules based on consensus of expert opinions and to understand by what mechanisms and how to distinguish those individuals who are susceptible to severe DILI.

Validation and comparison of simple noninvasive indexes for predicting liver fibrosis in HIV-HCV-coinfected patients: ANRS CO3 Aquitaine cohort

BACKGROUND

Although an increasing number of noninvasive fibrosis markers are available in HCV-monoinfected patients, data on the performance of these tests in HIV-HCV-coinfected patients are lacking.

OBJECTIVE

To assess the diagnostic performance for predicting hepatic fibrosis stage of four simple and inexpensive noninvasive indexes (FIB-4, APRI, Forns, and platelet count) in HIV-HCV-coinfected patients.

METHODS

Two hundred consecutive HIV-HCV-coinfected patients from the ANRS-CO3 Aquitaine cohort who underwent liver biopsy were studied. Fibrosis stage was assessed according to Metavir scoring system by a single pathologist unaware of the data of the patients. Diagnostic performances were assessed by measuring the areas under the receiver operating characteristic curves (AUROC) and the percentage of patients correctly identified (PCI).

RESULTS

For predicting significant fibrosis (F > or = 2), APRI, Forns index, and FIB-4 had AUROCS of 0.77, 0.75, and 0.79, with 39%, 25%, and 70% of PCI, respectively. For predicting severe fibrosis (F > or = 3), FIB-4 had AUROC of 0.77 with 56% of PCI. For predicting cirrhosis (F4), FIB-4, APRI, and platelet count had AUROCs of 0.80, 0.79, and 0.78, with 59%, 60%, and 76% of PCI, respectively. Overall, diagnostic performances of the different indexes did not differ significantly for both significant fibrosis and cirrhosis.

CONCLUSION

The use of these noninvasive indexes could save liver biopsies in up to 56-76% of cases for the prediction of severe fibrosis-cirrhosis. However, given the high percentage of misclassified cases for significant fibrosis, such indexes do not appear currently suitable for use in clinical practice in HIV-HCV-coinfected patients.

Diagnosis and Management of Cirrhosis in Coinfected Patients

HIV coinfection is associated with faster progression of liver disease resulting from hepatitis B virus (HBV) or hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection. Thus, liver complications have become a major cause of illness and death in coinfected patients. Controlling HIV through highly active antiretroviral therapy may slow disease progression to nearly the rate of HIV-negative persons. Several antiretroviral regimens have been associated with drug-induced liver injury, however, which is more common in patients coinfected with hepatitis B or C. After development of cirrhosis and decompensation, survival is shorter in coinfected patients. Diagnosis and management of cirrhosis should be the same for coinfected and monoinfected HBV/HCV patients. The main complications of cirrhosis are ascites, spontaneous bacterial peritonitis, bleeding esophageal varices, hepatic encephalopathy, the hepatorenal syndrome, and hepatocellular carcinoma. Liver transplantation is feasible in patients with HIV infection, and early evaluation for this option is crucial because of the accelerated course of complications in HIV coinfection.

Liver toxicity induced by non-nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors

Liver toxicity is one of the most relevant adverse effects of antiretroviral therapy. Within the non-nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors (NNRTIs), efavirenz can be considered a safer drug for the liver than nevirapine. In fact, the frequency of severe increased liver enzymes in patients on efavirenz ranges from 1 to 8%, whereas in patients treated with nevirapine, it ranges from 4 to 18%. Likewise, nevirapine is more commonly associated than efavirenz with early acute hepatitis, which is produced by a hypersensitivity mechanism and has a defined risk profile that often makes it avoidable. Despite the fact that most cases of NNRTI-induced liver toxicity are asymptomatic, the rates of symptomatic events in patients treated with nevirapine are greater than in subjects on efavirenz. In any case, it is unusual for an NNRTI to be suspended due to liver toxicity.

Antiretroviral medication considerations for individuals coinfected with HIV and hepatitis C virus

There is great need to treat HIV/hepatitis C virus (HCV)-coinfected individuals with both antiretroviral and anti-HCV pharmacotherapy. However, treatment for HIV may lead to hepatotoxicity, and there are potential interactions and synergistic effects between antiretrovirals and anti-HCV medications. The ideal antiretroviral therapy options for coinfected patients, in the setting of anti-HCV treatment, are unclear and present important challenges to clinicians. We review the current data on the use of antiretrovirals in HIV/HCV-coinfected patients and offer evidence-based recommendations on optimal selection and dosing of antiretroviral agents for this population.

Treatment of hepatitis C in HIV-coinfected patients

OBJECTIVE

To review the current management of hepatitis C virus (HCV) in persons coinfected with HIV.

DATA SOURCES

A MEDLINE search (1966-February 2006) was conducted, using key words such as HIV, human immunodeficiency virus, hepatitis C, interferon, pegylated interferon, and therapy. Article bibliographies and conference abstracts were also reviewed to identify relevant studies.

STUDY SELECTION AND DATA EXTRACTION

Studies that examined HCV treatment in individuals coinfected with HIV and articles that focused on HCV/HIV coinfection were considered for this review.

DATA SYNTHESIS

Coinfection with HIV leads to a more rapid and severe course of HCV-related liver disease. Treatment of HCV with pegylated interferon (PEG-IFN) and ribavirin therapy is relatively well tolerated in individuals coinfected with HIV, with overall sustained virologic response (SVR) rates of 27-40%. High relapse rates and poor response in HCV-genotype 1 contribute to the lower SVR in coinfected individuals compared with HCV monoinfection. Treatment of HCV is more complicated in HIV-infected persons due to increased risk of myelosuppression, drug interactions, hepatotoxicity of antiretroviral therapy, and the relative contraindication to interferon therapy in advanced HIV disease. Current guidelines recommend that all HIV-positive patients with chronic HCV infection be considered as treatment candidates for anti-HCV therapy due to the higher risk of liver disease progression. Further studies are needed, however, to define the appropriate dose and duration of therapy in HCV/HIV-coinfected individuals.

CONCLUSIONS

Response to treatment with PEG-IFN and ribavirin is poorer in patients coinfected with HCV/HIV than in those infected with HCV alone. The benefits of anti-HCV therapy, including viral eradication, need to be weighed against the risks of adverse effects and drug-drug interactions between anti-HCV and antiretroviral medications.

Nelfinavir in HIV-HCV coinfected patients: a 24-month follow-up in a cohort of 82 patients

This retrospective and longitudinal study evaluated the long-term hepatic tolerance of a nelfinavir (NFV)-antiretroviral combined regimen in 82 patients of the HCV-HIV Cohort of CISIH-Sud of Marseilles. Follow-up data (liver enzyme levels, CD4 cell count, HIV viral load, and metabolic parameters) of patients treated with NFV on inclusion or during the follow-up of the cohort were analyzed under treatment over 24 months. Comparisons were performed with X2 or Kruskal-Wallis tests. At baseline (n = 82), the median exposure to NFV was 4.1 months; 58 patients received NFV combined with NRTI and 24 with NNRTI. The median CD4 cell count was 337/mm3 [interquartile range (IR): 216-480) and 39.7% had an undetectable HIV RNA level. Qualitative HCV PCR was positive in 91% of the patients and 19/51 patients with liver biopsy were F3-F4. Median alanine and aspartate aminotransferase (ALAT, ASAT), gamma-glutamyltransferase (GT), and alkaline phosphatase (ALP) were 46 UI/liter (IR: 36-76), 55 UI/liter (IR: 32-97), 97 UI/liter (IR: 50-194), and 88 UI/liter (IR: 72-104), respectively, with 76% of the patients with ALAT/ASAT grade <2. Median follow-up was 23 months (IR: 13.8-37). No significant difference was observed in the distribution of ALAT, ASAT, GT, and ALP as well as of ALAT/ASAT grades over the 24-month study period. Patients treated with NFV + NNRTI had significantly higher GT and ALP levels at baseline with no significant increase during follow-up. Cholesterol, triglyceride, and glycemia distributions remained stable over time. In conclusion, this study showed a good hepatic and metabolic tolerance of a long-term NFV-combined regimen in HIV-HCV coinfected patients.

Higher plasma lopinavir concentrations are associated with a moderate rise in cholestasis markers in HIV-infected patients

OBJECTIVES

The aim of this study was to evaluate the correlation between liver function markers (necrosis and cholestasis) and plasma lopinavir levels in a cohort of HIV-infected patients treated with lopinavir and ritonavir.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

The blood samples for determining steady-state C(trough) lopinavir levels and analysing liver function were drawn from fasting patients. Steady-state C(trough) lopinavir levels, liver function and immuno-virological markers were assessed on the same day. Plasma lopinavir and ritonavir levels were determined by means of high-performance liquid chromatography.

RESULTS

One hundred and forty-nine patients were included in the analysis [57 were HCV co-infected (34%) and 10 were HBV co-infected (6.7%)]; they had been treated with lopinavir/ritonavir for a median of 232 days (range 132-282). All patients received lopinavir/ritonavir [400/100 mg twice daily or 533/133 mg twice daily if amprenavir or a non-nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitor (NNRTI) was part of therapy] and concomitant therapy with NRTI(s). Median (interquartile) lopinavir trough levels were 6391 ng/mL (4121-8726), 5662 (3585-8893) and 6819 ng/mL (5324-8726) in the patients with HIV alone and those with HIV/HCV (or HBV) co-infection, respectively (P = not significant). Univariate analysis showed a significant association between the cholestasis markers and C(trough) lopinavir level. Multivariate analysis selected only gamma glutamyltranspeptidase (GGT) (OR = 1.010, 95% CI: 1.002-1.021) as being independently associated with plasma lopinavir levels of >6425 ng/mL; alkaline phosphatase (OR = 1.004, 95% CI: 1.000-1.010; P = 0.08) and total bilirubin (OR = 3.118, 95% CI: 0.980-11.715; P = 0.07) were not associated.

CONCLUSIONS

Elevated lopinavir concentrations are associated with raised GGT.

Antiretroviral-associated hepatotoxicity

The use of highly active antiretroviral therapy has dramatically reduced HIV-associated morbidity and mortality. As a result, patients are often being treated longer and with more complex medical regimens than ever before, increasing the risk for drug interactions and toxicities. In particular, hepatotoxicity caused by antiretroviral use has become an increasingly appreciated potential complication of drug treatment. All classes of antiretrovirals have been reported to induce liver enzyme abnormalities. However, certain antiretrovirals appear much more likely to be associated with drug-induced hepatotoxicity. The risk of antiretroviral-related hepatotoxicity may be associated with patient-specific risk factors, including pre-existing viral hepatitis, baseline elevated liver function test results, female gender, and substance abuse. In addition, complex drug-drug interactions may potentate the risk of antiretroviral-associated hepatotoxicity. Coinfection with hepatitis B or hepatitis C appears to increase the risk of antiretroviral-related hepatotoxicity.

Progression of liver fibrosis in patients coinfected with hepatitis C virus and human immunodeficiency virus undergoing antiretroviral therapy

As the immunosuppression caused by human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) accelerates the progression of hepatitis C virus (HCV)-related liver fibrosis, the immune reconstitution associated with highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) may have the opposite effect. However, hepatotoxicity related to HAART could enhance the progression of liver fibrosis. Some retrospective studies have shown that therapy with the protease inhibitors may be associated with less severe liver fibrosis, whereas nevirapine use seems to correlate with faster progression. Low-grade liver toxicity associated with nevirapine could account for this effect. However, other studies have not confirmed these findings. Long-term prospective studies are needed to analyse the impact of antiretroviral drugs on the progression of HCV-related liver disease. Meanwhile, no specific recommendations can be made on the use of individual drugs or drug classes in HIV/HCV-coinfected patients. Most importantly however, the inherent benefits of HAART largely outweigh the risk of enhancing fibrosis progression. Additionally, in coinfected patients, other factors that promote fibrogenesis, such as alcohol consumption, should be avoided. Antiviral treatment of chronic hepatitis C could also reduce the risk of liver damage associated with HAART.

Effect of alcohol on viral hepatitis and other forms of liver dysfunction

Alcohol is a known hepatotoxic agent, which may exacerbate liver injury caused by other agents. The wide prevalence of alcohol use and abuse in society makes it an important cofactor in many other liver diseases. Examples of liver diseases that are significantly influenced by ingestion of alcohol include chronic viral hepatitis, disorders of iron overload, and obesity-related liver disease.