The management of hepatitis B virus/HIV-1 co-infected patients starting their first HAART regimen. Treating two infections for the price of one drug?

ABSTRACT

We examined the impact of a lamivudine-containing highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) regimen on 164 hepatitis B virus/HIV co-infected individuals starting their first HAART. Lamivudine-treated patients (accounting for 73% of the study population) showed a significantly lower level of alanine aminotransferase over follow-up [-81.1 mU/ml mean difference; 95% confidence intervals (95% CI) -30.3; -131.7, P=0.003] and a significantly reduced risk of liver-related morbidity/mortality [Relative hazard (RH)=0.07; 95% CI 0.01-0.38, P=0.002] than those starting a lamivudine sparing-regimen.