Pegylated interferon alpha 2b and ribavirin in HIV/hepatitis C virus-co-infected non-responders and relapsers to IFN-based therapy.

Background: Pegylated interferon alpha (PEG-IFN-alpha) and ribavirin is the most effective available treatment for chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection. Its role in HIV/HCV-co-infected patients who have failed IFN-based therapy is unclear.

Objective: The aim of this study was to determine the safety and efficacy of this therapy in HIV/HCV-co-infected non-responders and relapsers.

Serum biochemical markers accurately predict liver fibrosis in HIV and hepatitis C virus co-infected patients.

Objective: Liver biopsy, the gold standard for assessing hepatitis C virus (HCV)-related fibrosis, is invasive and prone to complications. Our aim was to determine the operating characteristics of a non-invasive index of biochemical markers for the prediction of fibrosis in patients with HIV/HCV co-infection.

Design: In a cross-sectional, cohort study in a French tertiary-care hospital 130 HIV/HCV-co-infected patients with a liver biopsy and serum were tested for markers of liver fibrosis.