All-oral direct-acting antiviral therapy against hepatitis C virus (HCV) in human immunodeficiency virus/HCV-coinfected subjects in real-world practice: Madrid coinfection registry findings.

We evaluated treatment outcomes in a prospective registry of human immunodeficiency virus/hepatitis C virus (HCV)-coinfected patients treated with interferon-free direct-acting antiviral agent-based therapy in hospitals from the region of Madrid between November 2014 and August 2016. We assessed sustained viral response at 12 weeks after completion of treatment and used multivariable logistic regression to identify predictors of treatment failure. We evaluated 2,369 patients, of whom 59.5% did not have cirrhosis, 33.9% had compensated cirrhosis, and 6.6% had decompensated cirrhosis. The predominant HCV genotypes were 1a (40.9%), 4 (22.4%), 1b (15.1%), and 3 (15.0%). Treatment regimens included sofosbuvir (SOF)/ledipasvir (61.9%), SOF plus daclatasvir (14.6%), dasabuvir plus ombitasvir/paritaprevir/ritonavir (13.2%), and other regimens (10.3%). Ribavirin was used in 30.6% of patients. Less than 1% of patients discontinued therapy owing to adverse events. The frequency of sustained viral response by intention-to-treat analysis was 92.0% (95% confidence interval, 90.9%-93.1%) overall, 93.8% (92.4%-95.0%) for no cirrhosis, 91.0% (88.8%-92.9%) for compensated cirrhosis, and 80.8% (73.7%-86.6%) for decompensated cirrhosis. The factors associated with treatment failure were male sex (adjusted odds ratio, 1.75; 95% confidence interval, 1.14-2.69), Centers for Diseases Control and Prevention category C (adjusted odds ratio, 1.65; 95% confidence interval, 1.12-2.41), a baseline cluster of differentiation 4-positive (CD4+) T-cell count <200/mm3 (adjusted odds ratio, 2.30; 95% confidence interval, 1.35-3.92), an HCV RNA load ≥800,000 IU/mL (adjusted odds ratio, 1.63; 95% confidence interval, 1.14-2.36), compensated cirrhosis (adjusted odds ratio, 1.35; 95% confidence interval, 0.96-1.89), decompensated cirrhosis (adjusted odds ratio, 2.92; 95% confidence interval, 1.76-4.87), and the use of SOF plus simeprevir, SOF plus ribavirin, and simeprevir plus daclatasvir. CONCLUSION: In this large real-world study, direct-acting antiviral agent-based therapy was safe and highly effective in coinfected patients; predictors of failure included gender, human immunodeficiency virus-related immunosuppression, HCV RNA load, severity of liver disease, and the use of suboptimal direct-acting antiviral agent-based regimens. (Hepatology 2018;68:32-47).

Comparison of the prognostic value of liver biopsy and FIB-4 index in patients coinfected with HIV and hepatitis C virus.

BACKGROUND: We compared the prognostic value of liver biopsy (LB) and FIB-4 index in patients with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)/hepatitis C virus (HCV) coinfection. METHODS: We studied patients from the Grupo de Estudio del SIDA 3603 study cohort, in whom fibrosis was evaluated at baseline using both LB (Metavir score) and FIB-4 index. We assessed overall death (OD) and liver-related events (LREs), defined as decompensation or hepatocellular carcinoma, whichever occurred first. We used receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves to determine the ability of LB and FIB-4 to predict outcomes. We also assessed the association between advanced fibrosis-LB (F3 or greater) or FIB-4 (≥3.25)-and outcomes using multivariate Cox regression analysis. RESULTS: The study sample comprised 903 patients (328 with sustained virologic response [SVR]). Baseline fibrosis by LB was as follows: F0, n = 71; F1, n = 242; F2, n = 236; F3, n = 236; F4, n = 118. Fibrosis by FIB-4 was as follows: ≤1, n = 148; >1 to <3.25, n = 597; ≥3.25, n = 158. After a median follow-up of 62 months, there were 46 deaths and 71 LREs. The area under the ROC curves for OD/LREs was 0.648 and 0.742 for LB and FIB-4, respectively (P = .006). Similar results were found for patients without SVR and for OD and LREs separately. The adjusted hazard ratios of OD or LRE were 1.740 (95% confidence interval [CI], 1.119-2.7.06; P = .014) for advanced fibrosis assessed by LB and 3.896 (95% CI, 2.463-6.160; P < .001) assessed by FIB-4. CONCLUSIONS: FIB-4 outperformed LB as a predictor of OD and LRE. These findings are of relevance for clinical practice and research and call into question the role of LB as a gold standard for assessing prognosis in HIV/HCV coinfection.

Association of baseline CD4+ cell count and HIV-RNA on sustained virologic response to interferon-ribavirin in HIV/HCV coinfected patients.

UNLABELLED: BACKGROUND AND RATIONALE FOR THE STUDY: We assessed the association of CD4+ T-cell counts and HIV-RNA on sustained viral response (SVR) after therapy with pegylated interferon and ribavirin (PR) in HIV/HCV coinfected patients. We examined two large cohorts of coinfected patients treated with PR in Spain between 2000 and 2008. SVR was defined as undetectable HCV-RNA at 24 weeks after the end of PR. RESULTS: We studied 1682 patients, of whom 38% achieved SVR. Baseline factors independently associated with reduced odds of SVR included genotype 1 or 4, HCV-RNA > 500,000 IU/mL, advanced liver fibrosis, CDC clinical category C, and detectable HIV-RNA. By multivariate logistic regression analysis, we found that, in comparison with patients with combination antiretroviral therapy (cART) and undetectable HIV-RNA, the odds ratio [95% confidence interval (CI)] of SVR was 0.56 (0.41-0.78) for cART and detectable HIV-RNA, 0.86 (0.56-2.57) for no-cART and detectable HIV-RNA, and 1.38 (0.74-2.57) for no-cART and undetectable HIV-RNA. CONCLUSIONS: Detectable HIV-RNA, but not CD4+ T-cell count, was associated with reduced odds of SVR. However, this finding was only confirmed for cART and detectable HIV-RNA, raising the question as whether this represents a true association of HIV-RNA on response to PR or a spurious association due to poor adherence to treatment.

Biomarkers of inflammation and coagulation are associated with mortality and hepatitis flares in persons coinfected with HIV and hepatitis viruses.

BACKGROUND: Hepatitis C virus (HCV) and/or hepatitis B virus (HBV) coinfection with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) has a greater risk of mortality than either HCV or HBV infection alone and is frequently associated with hepatitis flares after antiretroviral therapy (ART) initiation. METHODS: We performed a retrospective cohort study of 287 HIV-positive persons coinfected with HBV and/or HCV (70 had HBV coinfection only, 207 had HCV coninfection only, and 10 had HBV and HCV coinfections) who had pre-ART plasma samples evaluated for biomarkers associated with death (within 4 years) and/or hepatitis flare (within 4 months) after ART initiation. A predictive biomarker risk score was calculated. RESULTS: Forty-eight deaths and 50 hepatitis flares occurred. Nonsurvivors were older, had more prior AIDS-defining events, and had higher pre-ART triglycerides and aspartate transaminase levels. Detectable hyaluronic acid and higher d-dimer, interleukin 6, interleukin 8, and soluble CD14 levels were associated with death in univariate models and with a composite biomarker risk score. The risk of hepatitis flares was higher with HBV coinfection only (24.3%) and with HBV and HCV coinfection (50%) than with HCV coinfection only (13.5%). Higher levels of alanine transaminase and interleukin 10 were also associated with hepatitis flares. CONCLUSIONS: Among HIV-positive patients coinfected with HBV and/or HCV who are initiating ART, biomarkers of inflammation and coagulation are associated with an increased risk of death, whereas HBV coinfection and higher pre-ART interleukin 10 levels are associated with hepatitis flares.

Prevalence and Temporal Trends of Autoimmune Diseases in People Living with HIV.

Since the introduction of modern antiretroviral treatment for HIV and hepatitis C virus (HCV), the pattern of autoimmune diseases (ADs) in people living with HIV (PWH) might have changed. This is a retrospective study in a cohort of 5,665 PWH at the HIV Clinic of Hospital Universitario La Paz (Spain) to estimate the prevalence of ADs from January 1990 to June 2020. We divided the timeline into four periods: <1996, 1996-2006, 2006-2015, and 2015-2020. In total 369 participants were diagnosed with at least one AD, with a prevalence of 5.3% (95% confidence interval 4.7-5.9). In total, 302 (81%) participants were diagnosed simultaneously or after HIV diagnosis. Most prevalent diseases were immune thrombopenia (IT) (n = 90), cutaneous psoriasis (n = 52), autoimmune thyroid disorders (n = 36), spondylarthritis (n = 24), and inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) (n = 21). There was a significant trend for more ADs in recent periods (p = .037). In recent years, participants with ADs were older, had a long time since HIV diagnosis, and had higher CD4+ T cell count and higher CD4+ T cell nadir (temporal linear trend p < .001). There was a change in the pattern of ADs over time with a decrease in IT and an increase in spondylarthritis, arthritis, IBD, and thyroid disorders. One hundred thirty-nine participants (46%) were coinfected with HCV, with a steady decline throughout the study period. Only cryoglobulinemia was statistically associated with HCV infection. AD increases over time in PWH with reasonable immune virological control. We observed a higher frequency of spondylarthritis, arthritis, autoimmune thyroid disorders, and IBD in recent years.

Prevalence of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease in a multicentre cohort of people living with HIV in Spain.

BACKGROUND: Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is one of the most important liver comorbidities in people living with HIV (PLWH). Factors that could lead to a higher prevalence of NAFLD or ease the onset of fibrosis are unclear. METHODS: Cohort study of the Spanish HIV Research Network, which comprehends 46 hospitals and more than 15,000 PLWH. Primary objectives were to assess NAFLD prevalence and liver fibrosis according to hepatic steatosis index (HSI) and NAFLD fibrosis score, respectively. Factors associated with both were analysed. RESULTS: A total of 4798 PLWH were included of whom 1461 (30.5%) showed an HSI>36; these patients had higher risk for significant fibrosis (OR 1.91; 95%CI 1.11-3.28). Factors associated with NAFLD were body mass index (OR 2.05; 95%CI 1.94-2.16) and diabetes (OR 4.68; 95%CI 2.17-10.08), while exposure to integrase strand transfer inhibitors showed a lower risk (OR 0.78; 95%CI 0.62-0.97). In patients with HSI>36, being female (OR 7.33; 95%CI 1.34-40), age (OR 1.22; 95%CI 1.11-1.34), body mass index (OR 1.35; 95%CI 1.18-1.54) and exposure to thymidine analogues (OR 75.4, 95%CI 6.9-823.5) were associated with a higher risk of significant fibrosis. However, exposure to non-nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors (OR 0.12, 95%CI 0.02-0.89) and time of exposure to protease inhibitors (OR 0.97, 95%CI 0.95-1) showed a lower risk. CONCLUSION: NAFLD prevalence was high in our cohort. Patients exposed to INSTI showed a lower risk of NAFLD. In patients with hepatic steatosis, exposure to thymidine analogues had 75-fold more risk of significant fibrosis while exposure to NNRTIs reduced this risk.

Acute hepatitis B among HIV positive persons: A two-decade review of cases from a Spanish cohort.

PURPOSE: To review the incidence and characteristics of acute hepatitis B (AHB) in a large cohort of HIV infected persons from a low prevalence region during the last two decades. METHODS: Retrospective review of an HIV Cohort from a single reference centre in Madrid, Spain, between 2000 and 2018. AHB was diagnosed in persons with newly acquired HBAgS and acute hepatitis with positive IgM anti-HBc. RESULTS: Out of 5443 HIV+ patients in our cohort (3098 anti-HBc negative), 18 developed AHB from 2000 to 2018. The global incidence was 0.02 (0.01-0.04) per 100 patient-year in the entire population and 0.06 (0.01-0.1) per 100 patient-year in the anti-HBc negative population. A statistically significant decrease in AHB incidence was observed during these years (ß=-0.006; p=0.047). All 18 patients diagnosed with AHB were men, the majority (16) occurred in men who have sex with men. AHB was observed in 4 persons previously unresponsive to vaccination. Regarding antiretroviral treatment (ART), 15 were not receiving ART, two persons were on ART with any HBV active drugs and one person had lamivudine in the regimen. Two persons (11%) developed chronic hepatitis B. There were no cases of fulminant hepatitis. CONCLUSION: The incidence of AHB in HIV positive persons in our cohort was low and shows a progressive decline in the last 20 years. Cases occurred in persons not protected against VHB: not vaccinated or non-responders to vaccine that were not receiving tenofovir.

Effect of a nonionic surfactant on biodegradation of slowly desorbing PAHs in contaminated soils.

The influence of the nonionic surfactant Brij 35 on biodegradation of slowly desorbing polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) was determined in contaminated soils. We employed a soil originated from a creosote-polluted site, and a manufactured gas plant soil that had been treated by bioremediation. The two soils differed in their total content in five indicator 3-, 4-, and 5-ring PAHs (2923 mg kg(-1) and 183 mg kg(-1) in the creosote-polluted and bioremediated soils, respectively) but had a similar content (140 mg kg(-1) vs 156 mg kg(-1)) of slowly desorbing PAHs. The PAHs present in the bioremediated soil were highly recalcitrant. The surfactant at a concentration above its critical micelle concentration enhanced the biodegradation of slowly desorbing PAHs in suspensions of both soils, but it was especially efficient with bioremediated soil, causing a 62% loss of the total PAH content. An inhibition of biodegradation was observed with the high-molecular-weight PAHs pyrene and benzo[a]pyrene in the untreated soil, possibly due to competition effects with other solubilized PAHs present at relatively high concentrations. We suggest that nonionic surfactants may improve bioremediation performance with soils that have previously undergone extensive bioremediation to enrich for a slowly desorbing profile.

Acute hepatitis B among HIV positive persons: A two-decade review of cases from a Spanish cohort.

PURPOSE: To review the incidence and characteristics of acute hepatitis B (AHB) in a large cohort of HIV infected persons from a low prevalence region during the last two decades. METHODS: Retrospective review of an HIV Cohort from a single reference centre in Madrid, Spain, between 2000 and 2018. AHB was diagnosed in persons with newly acquired HBAgS and acute hepatitis with positive IgM anti-HBc. RESULTS: Out of 5443 HIV+ patients in our cohort (3098 anti-HBc negative), 18 developed AHB from 2000 to 2018. The global incidence was 0.02 (0.01-0.04) per 100 patient-year in the entire population and 0.06 (0.01-0.1) per 100 patient-year in the anti-HBc negative population. A statistically significant decrease in AHB incidence was observed during these years (ß=-0.006; p=0.047). All 18 patients diagnosed with AHB were men, the majority (16) occurred in men who have sex with men. AHB was observed in 4 persons previously unresponsive to vaccination. Regarding antiretroviral treatment (ART), 15 were not receiving ART, two persons were on ART with any HBV active drugs and one person had lamivudine in the regimen. Two persons (11%) developed chronic hepatitis B. There were no cases of fulminant hepatitis. CONCLUSION: The incidence of AHB in HIV positive persons in our cohort was low and shows a progressive decline in the last 20 years. Cases occurred in persons not protected against VHB: not vaccinated or non-responders to vaccine that were not receiving tenofovir.

Electrokinetic enhancement of phenanthrene biodegradation in creosote-polluted clay soil.

Given the difficulties caused by low-permeable soils in bioremediation, a new electrokinetic technology is proposed, based on laboratory results with phenanthrene, to afford bioremediation of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH) in clay soils. Microbial activity in a clay soil historically polluted with creosote was promoted using a specially designed electrokinetic cell with a permanent anode-to-cathode flow and controlled pH. The rates of phenanthrene losses during treatment were tenfold higher in soil treated with an electric field than in the control cells without current or microbial activity. Results from experiments with Tenax-assisted desorption and mineralization of 14C-labeled phenanthrene indicated that phenanthrene biodegradation was limited by mass-transfer of the chemical. We suggest that the enhancement effect of the applied electric field on phenanthrene biodegradation resulted from mobilization of the PAH and nutrients dissolved in the soil fluids.

Efficacy and tolerability of telaprevir (TVR)-based triple therapy in HIV/HCV-coinfected patients.

INTRODUCTION: Clinical trials (CT) on triple therapy against HCV infection in HIV-infected patients including TVR plus pegylated interferon and ribavirin (PR) have reported considerably higher response rates than with PR alone. This study was aimed to evaluate the efficacy and safety of triple therapy including TVR in HIV/HCV-coinfected patients in real-life conditions. MATERIALS AND METHODS: HIV/HCV genotype 1 patients seen at four Hospitals in Madrid who received therapy including TVR plus PR for at least two weeks were included. The response was evaluated during treatment, and sustained viral response (SVR) was evaluated 12 and 24 weeks after the end of the treatment. RESULTS: Fifty-eight patients have been included; 79% male, median age 48 y.o.; 38% were IL28B rs12979860 genotype CT or TT, 58.6% of patients presented cirrhosis and 24.1% presented fibrosis F3. Infection with genotype 1a was observed in 53.4% of patients. Median baseline HCV-RNA was 3,282,263 IU/mL (77.5% had >800,000 IU/mL). The most commonly used antiretroviral (ARV) drugs were tenofovir/emtricitabine [36 (62%) patients], etravirine [21 (36%) patients], abacavir/lamivudine [18 (31%) patients], boosted protease inhibitors [16 (27.5%) patients] and raltegravir [12 (20.6%) patients]. Of the 42 (72.4%) patients who had received previous HCV treatment, 13.7% were null responders, 25.8% were partial responders and 31% had relapsed. In an ITT approach, proportions of patients with undetectable HCV RNA were 67.8% (38/56) at TW4, 83.3% (40/48) at TW12, 80% (36/45) at TW24, 79.4% at TW36 (31/39) and 72% (26/36) at TW48. Fifteen (25.8%) patients discontinued HCV therapy [8 (13.8%) because they fulfilled stopping rules, 5 (8.6%) individuals due to adverse events and 2 (3.4%) were lost to follow-up]. Rash associated with TVR (grade 1) was observed in two cases (3.4%) and all the patients showed anaemia at some point of treatment. In an analysis by ITT in the 31 patients who had a 60 week follow-up after starting therapy, SVR-12 was observed in 21 (67.7%) patients. And in the analysis by ITT in 28 patients who had a 72 week follow-up after starting therapy, SVR-24 was observed in 17 (60.7%) patients. CONCLUSIONS: Response to triple therapy with TVR plus PR in HIV/HCV-patients under real-life conditions, and therefore, including a high proportion of difficult to treat patients, is similar to that found in CT. The safety profile of TVR-based therapy is also comparable to that shown in CT, with only a rate of discontinuation of 8.6% of individuals related to toxicity.

Telaprevir combination therapy in HCV/HIV co-infected patients (INSIGHT study): sustained virologic response at 12 weeks final analysis.

INTRODUCTION: We report the SVR12 final analysis of a phase 3 study of telaprevir in combination with peginterferon (P)/ribavirin (R) in HCV-genotype 1, treatment-naïve and -experienced patients with HCV/HIV co-infection (INSIGHT). MATERIALS AND METHODS: Patients receiving stable, suppressive HIV antiretroviral (ARV) therapy, containing atazanavir/ritonavir, efavirenz, darunavir/ritonavir, raltegravir, etravirine or rilpivirine, received telaprevir 750 mg q8h (1125 mg q8h if on efavirenz) plus P (180 µg once-weekly) and R (800 mg/day) for 12 weeks, followed by an additional 12 weeks (non-cirrhotic HCV treatment-naïve and relapse patients with extended rapid viral response [eRVR]) or 36 weeks (all others) of PR alone. Analysis was performed when all patients had completed the follow-up visit of 12 weeks after last planned dose. RESULTS: One hundred sixty-two patients were enrolled and treated (65 efavirenz, 59 atazanavir/ritonavir, 17 darunavir/ritonavir, 17 raltegravir, 4 etravirine). Mean age was 45 years, 78% were male, 92% were Caucasian; mean CD4 count was 687 cells/mm(3). Sixty four patients (40%) were HCV treatment-naïve and 98 (60%) were treatment experienced (29 relapsers, 18 partial responders and 51 null responders). 64% were subtype 1a. 30% had bridging fibrosis (17%) or cirrhosis (13%). 19% of patients discontinued telaprevir, including 9% due to an adverse event (AE), 8% reaching a virologic endpoint and 2% for other reasons (non compliance or not defined). Treatment responses are shown in Table 1. There were no HIV RNA breakthroughs. Most frequently reported (≥20% patients) AEs were pruritus 43%; fatigue 27%; rash 34%, anorectal events 30% and influenza-like illness (25%). Anemia was reported in 15% of patients; grade ≥3 haemoglobin decrease occurred in 2.5% of patients. 6% of patients experienced serious AEs. CONCLUSIONS: In this phase 3 study of HIV-infected, HCV treatment-naïve and -experienced patients, 49% achieved eRVR and 57% reached SVR12. In patients with an eRVR, SVR12 rates were >80%, irrespective of prior treatment history.

Effects of sustained viral response in patients with HIV and chronic hepatitis C and nonadvanced liver fibrosis.

OBJECTIVE: We assessed the effects of sustained viral response (SVR), after treating with interferon-ribavirin (IF-RB), on mortality, liver-related (LR) events (decompensation, hepatocellular carcinoma), HIV progression, and liver stiffness in HIV/hepatitis C virus (HCV)-coinfected patients with nonadvanced liver fibrosis. METHODS: From a cohort of HIV/HCV-coinfected patients treated with IF-RB, we selected those with baseline liver fibrosis stages F0, F1, or F2 according to METAVIR. The study started when IF-RB was stopped and ended at death or at the last follow-up visit. RESULTS: A total of 695 patients were included (HCV genotype 1 or 4, 431; F0, 77; F1, 290; and F2, 328), and 274 patients achieved SVR. After a median follow-up of 4.9 years, the adjusted hazard ratio (aHR) [95% confidence interval (CI)] of LR events or overall death, for patients with SVR taking the group of patients with no SVR as a reference was 0.217 (0.079 to 0.599) (P = 0.003) for the whole cohort with F0 to F2. For patients with F0, the aHR (95% CI) was 0.514 (0.040 to 6.593) (P = 0.609), for patients with F1, the aHR (95% CI) was 0.305 (0.053 to 1.762) (P = 0.185), and for patients with F2, it was 0.075 (0.009 to 0.662) (P = 0.020). We also found that, in comparison with no SVR, SVR was followed by less frequent HIV progression for the entire population (F0 to F2) and less frequent liver stiffness across all categories of fibrosis. CONCLUSIONS: SVR in HIV/HCV-coinfected patients with moderate stages of liver fibrosis is associated with a reduction of mortality and LR events, and with a reduction of progression of HIV and liver fibrosis.

Dual 14C/residue analysis method to assess the microbial accessibility of native phenanthrene in environmental samples.

The aim of this work was to develop a method to assess the microbial accessibility of native phenanthrene present in soils and sediments. We developed an accelerated biodegradation assay, characterized by (a) inoculation with a sufficient number of phenanthrene-degrading microorganisms, (b) monitoring of the biodegradation activity through 14C-mineralization measurements, and (c) single-step chemical analysis of the native compound in the residue. The use of 14C-labeling allowed the determination of the time period needed for biodegradation of the bioaccessible fraction of the native chemical. The method was tested with environmental samples having a wide range of phenanthrene concentrations, i.e., from background levels (microg kg(-1)) originating in soil from atmospheric deposition, to acute concentrations (g kg(-1)) corresponding to industrial pollution of soils and sediments. The results showed a wide range of bioaccessibility (15-95% of the initial amount). The method can be used for the assessment of bioaccessibility involved in the management of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) pollution.