Positive impact of hepatitis C virus (HCV) treatment on antiretroviral treatment adherence in human immunodeficiency virus–HCV coinfected patients: one more argument for expanded access to HCV treatment for injecting drug users

Abstract

Engaging human immunodeficiency virus/hepatitis C virus coinfected individuals in hepatitis C virus treatment is associated with high adherence to antiretroviral treatment. Physicians should prioritize hepatitis C virus treatment as part of a multi-disciplinary approach.

No significant effect of cannabis use on the count and percentage of circulating CD4 T‐cells in HIV‐HCV co‐infected patients (ANRS CO13‐HEPAVIH French cohort)

“… dPatients were classified into the categories ‘high’, ‘medium’ or ‘low’ adherence to ART according to both the rate of prescribed doses of ART they actually took during the previous four days (100%, between 80% and 99.9%, < 80%) and their compliance with their drugs schedule .…”

“…With regard to alcohol consumption, patients were classified into one of the following three categories : (i) current alcohol‐related problems (physician's report); (ii) hazardous drinking or binge drinking without alcohol‐related problems, defined as an Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test–Consumption (AUDIT‐C) score ≥4 (for men) or ≥3 (for women) (with a time frame for this scale fixed at six months in our study), or consumption of ≥6 drinks on any one occasion during the previous six months; and (iii) non‐hazardous drinking, defined as an AUDIT‐C score <4 (for men), <3 (for women) . Patients were also classified into the categories ‘high’, ‘medium’ or ‘low’ adherence to ART, according to both the rate of prescribed doses of ART they actually took during the previous four days (100%, between 80% and 99.9%, <80%) and their compliance with drugs schedule .…”

“…c Variable using the following three-category classification for alcohol consumption [20]: (i) current alcohol-related problems (physician's report); (ii) hazardous or binge drinking without alcohol-related problems, defined as an Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test-Consumption (AUDIT-C) score ≥4 (for men) or ≥3 (for women), reporting consumption ≥6 drinks on any one occasion during the previous 6 months; and (iii) non-hazardous drinking, defined as an AUDIT-C score <4 (for men), <3 (for women) [21]. d Patients were classified into the categories 'high', 'medium' or 'low' adherence to ART according to both the rate of prescribed doses of ART they actually took during the previous four days (100%, between 80% and 99.9%, < 80%) and their compliance with their drugs schedule [22,23]. e The four classifications for body mass index were defined as follows [28]: 'underweight' for values <18.5, 'normal' for values between 18.5 and 24.99, 'overweight' for values between 25 and 30, 'obese' for values ≥30.…”

Engaging HIV-HCV co-infected patients in HCV treatment: the roles played by the prescribing physician and patients' beliefs (ANRS CO13 HEPAVIH cohort, France)

“…Nevertheless, recent data from the same cohort have highlighted that adherence to ART is enhanced by engagement in HCV treatment [55]. There is evidence today to show that while individuals needing HCV treatment often report not having enough information about both its associated risks and benefits [17], they tend to show much greater interest in commencing treatment once informed [56].…”

Self‐reported alcohol abuse in HIV–HCV co‐infected patients: a better predictor of HIV virological rebound than physician's perceptions (HEPAVIH ARNS CO13 cohort)

“…They were classified as 'highly adherent' (versus 'poorly adherent') to ART if they reported they had taken 100% of prescribed doses during the previous 4 days and had complied fully with their physician's prescriptions [28].…”