CD4 and CD4/CD8 ratio progression in HIV-HCV infected patients after achievement of SVR

Background In HIV-HCV co-infected patients, the long-term effects of HCV eradication on HIV disease progression are still unclear. Objectives This study aims to determine if CD4 and CD4/CD8 ratio slopes improved after anti-HCV treatment in patients achieving a sustained virological response (SVR). Study design A total of 116 HIV-HCV co-infected patients, previously treated with Peg-IFN/RBV, were divided into two groups: SVR (55 patients who had achieved SVR), and non-SVR (61 patients). Retrospective data before and after anti-HCV therapy were obtained for all patients, with a median 8 year-follow-up. Multilevel mixed models were fitted to assess the trends over time of FIB-4 score, APRI score, CD4, CD8 cell count and CD4/CD8 ratio. Results Median HIV-infection duration, HCV-RNA and GGT baseline levels were higher in non-SVR compared to the SVR group. A significantly decreased FIB-4 (p < 0.001) and APRI trend (p < 0.001) after SVR was observed in SVR patients compared to those non-SVR. After adjustment for HIV duration, there was no significant difference between the two groups for absolute CD4 (p = 0.08) or percentage CD4 slope (p = 0.6) over time. The CD4/CD8 ratio trend also demonstrated a similar progressive increase in both groups (p = 0.2). During follow-up, six deaths were reported in the non-SVR group versus no death for the SVR group, while no difference in AIDS and non-AIDS events was observed. Conclusions Achievement of SVR determines an important beneficial impact in terms of liver-related mortality and fibrosis regression, but does not seem to alter neither the slope of long term CD4 gain nor the CD4/CD8 ratio evolution in ART-treated HIV-HCV co-infected patients.