Association of hepatitis c virus infection with CD4/CD8 ratio in HIV-positive women

Mark H. Kuniholm, Thomas R. O'Brien, Ludmila Prokunina-Olsson, Michael Augenbraun, Michael Plankey, Roksana Karim, Monika Sarkar, Audrey L. French, Chris Pierce, Howard D. Strickler, Kathryn Anastos

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

12 Scopus citations

Abstract

Background: Recent studies reported that the CD4/CD8 T-cell ratio is inversely associated with biomarkers traditionally used to measure immune activation and systemic inflammation in highly active antiretroviral therapy-treated HIV-infected (HIV+) patients. The relation of hepatitis C virus (HCV) coinfection with the CD4/CD8 ratio in HIV+ patients is unknown. Methods: We examined 50,201 CD4/CD8 ratios measured over 20 years in 3 groups of HIV+ women enrolled in the Women's Interagency HIV Study: HCV antibody negative (n = 1734), cleared HCV (n = 231), and chronic HCV (n = 751) in multivariate models. IFNL4-DG genotype and HCV viral load were also considered. Results: Compared with HCV antibody negative status, chronic HCV infection was associated with lower CD4/CD8 ratios when HIV viral load was suppressed to the lower limit of quantification (b = 20.08; P = 0.002). Cleared HCV (b = 20.10; P = 0.0009), but not IFNL4-DG genotype or HCV viral load, was also associated with lower CD4/CD8 ratios when HIV viral load was suppressed to the lower limit of quantification. Conclusions: The association of HCV coinfection with CD4/CD8 ratio is consistent with previously observed associations of HCV coinfection with biomarkers traditionally used to measure immune activation and systemic inflammation in HIV+ patients. These data provide additional support for the use of CD4/CD8 ratio for routine monitoring of immune activation and inflammation in HIV+ patients, including those with HIV/HCV coinfection; however, the unexpected association between cleared HCV and lower CD4/CD8 ratio requires additional study.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)162-170
Number of pages9
JournalJournal of Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndromes
Volume72
Issue number2
DOIs
StatePublished - Jun 1 2016

Keywords

  • CD4/CD8
  • HCV
  • HIV
  • Hepatitis C virus
  • Immune activation
  • Inflammation

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Infectious Diseases
  • Pharmacology (medical)

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