HIV-positive members of the US military starting antiretroviral therapy (ART) with chronic or resolved hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection had a higher risk of AIDS or death than did cohort members without HBV. In contrast, people with chronic HBV gained CD4 cells faster after starting ART than did people without HBV.
Although HBV confection is common with HIV infection because the two viruses share transmission routes, much remains unknown about the potential impact of HBV on clinical outcomes in antiretroviral-treated people. To address that question, the Infectious Disease Clinical Research Program HIV Working Group analyzed ART responses in members of the US Military HIV Natural History Study.
Researchers divided the cohort into four groups, 1505 HBV-negative people (66%), 518 (23%) with resolved HBV, 139 (6%) with isolated hepatitis B core antigen, and 131 (6%) with chronic HBV infection. The groups did not differ significantly in HIV suppression or treatment failure 6 months or 1 year after starting ART.
Risk Of AIDS Higher With Hep B Infection was originally published on blackdoctor.org
