[Epidemiology of chronic hepatitis C virus in patients infected by human immunodeficiency virus. Study of 767 patients].

Background And Objective: To study the epidemiological aspects of hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection in patients co-infected by human immunodeficiency virus (HIV).

Patients And Method: This study was carried out in 767 HIV infected patients who were followed-up at the HIV/AIDS Unit of the Internal Medicine Department of the Arnau de Vilanova University Hospital of Lleida (Spain). In addition to clinical records and information about the probable contagion route, gender and starting year of intravenous drug use, patients were analyzed for the presence of hepatitis C antibodies, viral load and HCV genotype, alanine aminotransferase concentration, CD4+ lymphocytes and viral load of HIV.

[Chronic hepatitis C in HIV co-infected patients. Study of 55 cases with liver biopsy].

Background And Objective: To study the evolution of chronic hepatitis in HIV-HCV co-infected patients and the factors conditioning this evolution.

Patients And Method: 55 intravenous drug users with HIV-HCV co-infection were studied. We performed a clinical and laboratory study determining the age at the time of HCV infection and the date of liver biopsy, HIV stage, CD4 cell count, viral load, and time under antiretroviral treatment.