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Hepatitis C Management in Patients with Hepatitis C and HIV Co-infection

  • Hepatitis C (J Ahn, Section Editor)
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Abstract

Co-infection with HIV and hepatitis C (HCV) is common due to similar risk factors. Twenty-five to thirty percent of HIV+ patients are co-infected with HCV. HCV infection in HIV+ patients is associated with higher rates of fibrosis, progression to cirrhosis and decompensated liver disease, and liver-related mortality. The ultimate HCV treatment goal is viral eradication, or sustained virologic response (SVR) which results in decreased liver-related morbidity and mortality. Prior therapies were suboptimal in co-infected patients. However, the new HCV direct-acting antiviral agents provide excellent treatment options in co-infected patients with response rates and adverse events similar to the HCV mono-infected population. Drug interactions between HIV treatments and HCV treatments can be challenging and must be taken into consideration. To optimize outcomes, co-infected patients should be managed by experienced providers or in the setting of a collaborative multidisciplinary approach. This article will review the current treatment rationale and recommendations for HIV-HCV-co-infected patients.

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Correspondence to Stanley Martin Cohen.

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PD declares that he has no conflicts of interest. MKO reports grants from and advisory board membership with Gilead, outside the submitted work. SMC reports consultancy and speaker’s bureau participation for Gilead; grants from and consultancy and speaker’s bureau participation for Bristol-Myers Squibb; and grants from and consultancy and speaker’s bureau participation for Abbvie, outside the submitted work.

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Davitkov, P., Osborn, M.K. & Cohen, S.M. Hepatitis C Management in Patients with Hepatitis C and HIV Co-infection. Curr Hepatology Rep 15, 158–166 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11901-016-0307-9

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