CD4 Recovery and Survival among Adults Co-infected with HIV and Hepatitis B or C Virus, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam

This study assessed associations between hepatitis B and C virus (HBV, HCV) and increases in CD4 count and survival among 4316 HIV-infected patients on non-tenofovir (TDF)-based antiretroviral treatment (ART) in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam during 2006-2010, using mixed-effects model and survival analysis. More than half of patients (52.4%) participating in the study were HBsAg-negative/anti-HCV-negative, 9.0% HBsAg positive/anti-HCV-negative, and 38.6% anti-HCV-positive. Anti-HCV-positive males had smaller increases in CD4 count during the first two years of ART, but larger increases between two and three years after ART initiation than anti-HCV-negative females (regardless of HBsAg status) and HBsAg-negative/anti-HCV-negative males. Magnitude of the differences was small. Overall mortality rate was 15 per 1000 person-years; HBsAg and anti-HCV status were not significantly associated with mortality. Co-infection with HBV (HBsAg-positive) and/or exposure to HCV (anti-HCV-positive) does not seem to have substantial effects on outcomes of patients on non-TDF-containing ART during a median follow-up of 1.72 years. It may take a longer time for assessing effects of co-infection with HBV and/or HCV on ART outcomes. Such assessments should focus on those with positive HCV RNA, instead of positive anti-HCV.