TY - JOUR
T1 - Factors associated with hepatitis C viremia in a large cohort of HIV-infected and -uninfected women
AU - Operskalski, Eva A.
AU - Mack, Wendy J.
AU - Strickler, Howard D.
AU - French, Audrey L.
AU - Augenbraun, Michael
AU - Tien, Phyllis C.
AU - Villacres, Maria C.
AU - Spencer, La Shonda Y.
AU - DeGiacomo, Marina
AU - Kovacs, Andrea
N1 - Funding Information:
This study was supported by grants RO1 AI052065 (AK) and RO1-AI0577006 (HS) from the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases. Data in this manuscript were collected by the Women's Interagency HIV Study (WIHS) Collaborative Study Group with centers (Principal Investigators) at New York City/Bronx Consortium (Kathryn Anastos); Brooklyn, NY (Howard Minkoff); Washington, DC Metropolitan Consortium (Mary Young); The Connie Wofsy Study Consortium of Northern California (Ruth Greenblatt); Los Angeles County/Southern California Consortium (Alexandra Levine); Chicago Consortium (Mardge Cohen); Data Coordinating Center (Stephen Gange). The WIHS is funded by the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases with supplemental funding from the National Cancer Institute and the National Institute on Drug Abuse (UO1-AI-35004, UO1-AI-31834, UO1-AI-34994, UO1-AI-34989, UO1-AI-34993, and UO1-AI-42590). Funding is also provided by the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (UO1-CH-32632) and the National Center for Research Resources (MO1-RR-00071, MO1-RR-00079, MO1-RR-00083).
PY - 2008/4
Y1 - 2008/4
N2 - Background: Co-infection with hepatitis C virus (HCV) is common among HIV-infected women. Objective: To further our understanding of the risk factors for HCV viremia and the predictors of HCV viral load among women. Study design: We investigated sociodemographic, immunologic, and virologic factors associated with presence and level of HCV viremia among 1049 HCV-seropositive women, 882 of whom were HIV-infected and 167 HIV-uninfected at their entry into the Women's Interagency HIV Study. Results: Plasma HCV RNA was detected in 852 (81%) of these 1049 women (range: 1.2-7.8 log10 copies/ml). HCV-viremic women were more likely to have an HIV RNA level >100,000 copies/ml (P = 0.0004), to have reported smoking (P = 0.01), or to be Black (P = 0.005). They were less likely to have current or resolved hepatitis B infection. HCV RNA levels were higher in women who were >35 years old, or HIV-infected. Current smoking and history of drug use (crack/freebase cocaine, marijuana, amphetamines, or heroin) were each associated with both presence and level of viremia. Conclusions: Substance abuse counseling aimed at eliminating ongoing use of illicit drugs and tobacco may reduce clinical progression, improve response to treatment, and decrease HCV transmission by lowering levels of HCV viremia in women.
AB - Background: Co-infection with hepatitis C virus (HCV) is common among HIV-infected women. Objective: To further our understanding of the risk factors for HCV viremia and the predictors of HCV viral load among women. Study design: We investigated sociodemographic, immunologic, and virologic factors associated with presence and level of HCV viremia among 1049 HCV-seropositive women, 882 of whom were HIV-infected and 167 HIV-uninfected at their entry into the Women's Interagency HIV Study. Results: Plasma HCV RNA was detected in 852 (81%) of these 1049 women (range: 1.2-7.8 log10 copies/ml). HCV-viremic women were more likely to have an HIV RNA level >100,000 copies/ml (P = 0.0004), to have reported smoking (P = 0.01), or to be Black (P = 0.005). They were less likely to have current or resolved hepatitis B infection. HCV RNA levels were higher in women who were >35 years old, or HIV-infected. Current smoking and history of drug use (crack/freebase cocaine, marijuana, amphetamines, or heroin) were each associated with both presence and level of viremia. Conclusions: Substance abuse counseling aimed at eliminating ongoing use of illicit drugs and tobacco may reduce clinical progression, improve response to treatment, and decrease HCV transmission by lowering levels of HCV viremia in women.
KW - HIV/hepatitis C virus co-infection
KW - Hepatitis C
KW - Hepatitis C RNA levels
KW - Hepatitis C viremia
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U2 - 10.1016/j.jcv.2007.08.021
DO - 10.1016/j.jcv.2007.08.021
M3 - Article
C2 - 18243785
AN - SCOPUS:40849114508
SN - 1386-6532
VL - 41
SP - 255
EP - 263
JO - Journal of Clinical Virology
JF - Journal of Clinical Virology
IS - 4
ER -