Does Antiretroviral Therapy Cause Long-Term Liver Damage?
Author Information
Author(s): Moodie Erica E. M., Pant Pai Nitika, Klein Marina B.
Primary Institution: McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
Hypothesis
What is the relationship between antiretroviral therapy (HAART) and liver fibrosis in HIV-infected patients with and without hepatitis C co-infection?
Conclusion
HAART does not increase liver fibrosis in HIV mono-infected patients but is associated with increased fibrosis in HIV/HCV co-infected patients.
Supporting Evidence
- HAART was associated with increasing APRI over time in HIV/HCV co-infected patients.
- The median change in APRI per year of HAART intake was −0.46% in HIV mono-infected compared to 2.54% in HIV/HCV co-infected patients.
- The study included a large cohort with data spanning over a decade.
Takeaway
This study looked at how a type of medicine for HIV affects the liver over time. It found that while it doesn't hurt the liver in people with just HIV, it can make things worse for those who also have hepatitis C.
Methodology
Retrospective cohort study analyzing data from HIV-infected patients with and without hepatitis C, measuring liver fibrosis using the APRI index.
Potential Biases
Potential bias due to missing data and the retrospective nature of the study.
Limitations
The study may be confounded by unmeasured variables such as alcohol use and other infections.
Participant Demographics
The cohort included 533 HIV mono-infected and 127 HIV/HCV co-infected patients, with a majority born in Canada.
Statistical Information
P-Value
0.04
Confidence Interval
−1.61% to 0.71% for HIV mono-infected; −1.77% to 7.03% for HIV/HCV co-infected
Statistical Significance
p<0.05
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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