Peginterferon-alfa mono-therapy in the treatment of acute hepatitis C in HIV-infection

The ongoing epidemic of acute hepatitis C (AHC) infection among MSM highlights the need to identify factors allowing for optimal treatment outcome in HIV co-infected individuals. Cohort study of 105 HIV-infected patients with AHC infection from five centres in two European countries was carried out. Choice of treatment with pegIFN-alfa alone (group 1; n = 36) or pegIFN-alfa and ribavirin (RBV) (group 2; n = 69) was at the discretion of the investigator. Outcome was evaluated as RVR and SVR. Fisher's exact and Mann Whitney U tests were used for statistical analysis. All patients were male, median age was 39 years, main route of transmission MSM (91%). In 69% of patients, clinical signs of acute hepatic infection were missing, dominant HCV genotypes were 1 (64%) and 4 (16%) and mean baseline HCV-RNA was 3.559.085 IU/mL. 60% received HAART and CD4 cell count was 469/mm(3). Overall SVR rate was 64.8% (68/105). SVR was reached in 69% of treated patients in group 1 and in 63% of treated patients in group 2 (P = 0.67) while RVR was seen in 61% and 49%, respectively (P = 0.35). Interestingly, by univariate analysis, SVR rates in group 1 were significantly higher in patients initiating therapy within 4 weeks of AHC diagnosis compared to patients initiating therapy within 5-36 weeks after diagnosis (P = 0.03). PegIFN-alfa alone or in combination with ribavirin results in similar response rates in HIV-infected patients with AHC. In particular, when treatment is initiated within 4 weeks of diagnosis, pegIFN mono-therapy might be sufficient to allow for an optimal treatment response.