Peginterferon monotherapy for the treatment of acute hepatitis C in HIV-coinfected patients

• Published in: AIDS (London) Vol. 22; no. 11; pp. 1381 - 1382
• Main Authors: ARENDS, Joop E, SCHROVER, Ilse M, SCHAAR, Cees G, MUDRIKOVA, Tania, HOEPELMAN, Andy I. M
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Hagerstown, MD Lippincott Williams & Wilkins 11-07-2008
• Subjects: Acute Disease; AIDS/HIV; Antiviral Agents - therapeutic use; Biological and medical sciences; Drug Therapy, Combination; Hepatitis C - drug therapy; Hepatitis C virus; HIV Infections - complications; Human immunodeficiency virus; Human viral diseases; Humans; Immunodeficiencies; Immunodeficiencies. Immunoglobulinopathies; Immunopathology; Infectious diseases; Interferon-alpha - therapeutic use; Medical sciences; Recombinant Proteins; Ribavirin - therapeutic use; Viral diseases; Viral diseases of the lymphoid tissue and the blood. Aids; Viral hepatitis; Infection; Immunopathology; Mixed infection; Treatment; Viral disease; Acute; Digestive diseases; Hepatic disease; AIDS; Immune deficiency; Viral hepatitis C
• ISSN: 0269-9370; 1473-5571
• DOI: 10.1097/QAD.0b013e3283036cac

In recent years, in Western Europe, the incidence of acute hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection among HIV-infected men who have sex with men is increasing [1--3]. To date, only a small number of clinical trials have been performed and no evidence-based guidelines are available to guide the treatment of acute hepatitis C in HIV-coinfected patients. With much interest, we read the publication by Soriano et al. [4] on the updated recommendations from the HCV--HIV International Panel, published recently in this journal. After a short overview of acute hepatitis C in patients with chronic HIV infection, the authors recommended that these patients should be treated early with both pegylated interferon and ribavirin. They state that 'addition of ribavirin ensures maximal clearance of HCV. As this recommendation in merely based on an expert opinion, we would like to argue this and advocate that these patients could be treated with pegylated interferon solely, for reasons mentioned below.