Natural history of compensated viral cirrhosis in a cohort of patients with HIV infection.

Abstract: Background: The natural history of initially compensated cirrhosis in patients with HIV and concurrent hepatitis B virus (HBV) and/or hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection is poorly defined. This study was designed to investigate the incidence and type of liver-related complications and mortality in coinfected cirrhotic patients.

Methods: We retrospectively identified a cohort of patients coinfected with HIV and HCV or HBV and initially compensated viral cirrhosis. Time to decompensation and mortality from liver-related causes were recorded.

Results: Between 1999 and 2004, 392 HIV-infected patients underwent a follow-up of >= 6 months. Sixty-nine patients (17.6%) with initially compensated cirrhosis were identified (7 HBV positive, 59 HCV positive, and 3 positive for both HBV and HCV). The most frequent complication was ascites. The mortality was 71.3 per 1000 person-years (95% confidence interval [0], 47 to 108) in HIV-infected patients with HBV and/or HCV compensated cirrhosis, 8 (95% CI, 4 to 16) in HIV/HCV-coinfected patients without cirrhosis, and 6.5 (95% Cl, 2.7 to 15.5) in HIV-monoinfected patients. After the first event of decompensation, the survival rate was 48% at I year and 18.1% at 3 years. Treatment with HAART after the first event of decompensation was associated with an increased survival rate (61.1% and 26.2% at I and 3 years, respectively, vs. 26.7% and 0%; P < 0.0001).

Conclusions: These results indicate significant morbidity and mortality during the 6 years after the diagnosis of compensated cirrhosis due to HBV and/or HCV in HIV-infected patients, identifying ascites as the most frequent complication.