Abstract Book Vol. 2 [International Conference on AIDS (14th: 2002: Barcelona, Spain)]

XIV International AIDS Conference

Abstracts WePeB6043-WePeB6046 89

WePeB6043 Impact of INF treatment in the liver activity and
fibrosis in co-infected hcv/hiv patients that are
non-responders
M.R.T. Rodriguez-Torres,Maribel', J.R.O. Rodriguez-Orengo, Jose2,
C.R.B. Rios-Bedoya, Carlos3. 1Fundacion De Investigacion De Diego, Ave, De
Diego #359, Suite 302, Santurce, PR 00909, Puerto Rico; 2University of Puerto
Rico, Rio Piedras, Puerto Rico; 3Ponce School of Medicine, Ponce, Puerto Rico
Background: HIV/HCV co-infection is associated with higher progression to liver
cirrhosis. A significant number of patients will not achive SVR with INF therapy.
The effect of INF therapy in liver histology in this population is unknown.
Methods: We evaluated 33 patients with pre-and post-INF Tx. liver biopsies.History was assessed: age, gender, risk factors, alcohol use, HIV Tx., duration of HCV. Labs tests were obtained at both time points. 24 patients (73%)
received INF Tx. Analysis of Ishak score was done. Fibrosis score (0-5), activity
score (0-18), fibrosis progression rate and necrosis progression rate were calculated. Mean duration of INF Tx. was 11.5 months. Fisher's p-value and Paired
t-tests was used to compare variables.
Results: Most patients were male (82%), with a mean age of 42.2 years, HCV
Gen 1(75.8%).Most patients (67%) were in HAART with mean CD4 of 478
cells/mm3. Mean HIV PCR is 2.5 log and 19% were HIV PCR non-detectable.
Mean HCV PCR was 5.9 log and 54% had as risk factor IVDU. Mean fibrosis
score at the first biopsy(FS1) was 2.78 vs. 3.47 at the 2nd biopsy(P=<.05). The
necrosis score(NS1) was significantly reduced from the 1st biopsy with a mean
score of 7.94 vs. NS2 of 5.97(P=<.005). In addition the necrosis progression rate,
NPR1 was reversed, between the two biopsies(NPR1=0.48 vs. NPR2= -0.72,
P=<.01).INF Tx. vs. non-Tx. analysis show: FPR1 is 0.149 (N=20) vs. 0.27(N=5).
The FPR2 is 0.180 and 24 respectivelyThe difference between FPR2 and FPR1
is 0.4685 (N=5) vs -0.6982(N=20) for the INF treated group.This difference is not
significant.
Conclusion: INF Tx. in co infected non-responders has a significant effect in
activity improvement.No conclusion can be reached in this population,at this moment,regarding fibrosis progression,but this data suggests that fibrosis progression can be diminished or stopped with IFN Tx.Further follow up with liver histology is needed to assess the long-term impact of Tx.
Presenting author: Maribel Rodriguez-Torres, Ave, De Diego #359, Suite 302,
Santurce, PR 00909, Puerto Rico, Tel.: [phone], Fax: [phone], Email: [email protected]
WePeB6044 Impact of HIV co-infection on cell-mediated
responses to HCV-infected women
M.C. Villacres1, M. Nowicki2, D. David 3, A. Kovacs2, D.J. Diamond 4.
1Department of Virology, City of Hope, Beckman Research Institute of the City of
Hope, 1500 East Duarte Road, Fox 1001C, Duarte, California 91010, United
States; 2Department of Pediatrics, University of Southern California, Los
Angeles, United States; 3Department of Gastroenterology of the City of Hope,
Duarte, California, United States; 4 Department of Virology of the City of Hope,
Duarte, California, United States
Objective: To evaluate the impact of HIV co-infection on CD4+ and CD8+ T cell
responses in HCV-infected women.
Methods: CD4+ T cell function was evaluated in 16 HCV-infected women (10
co-infected with HIV and 6 HIV-negative) by measurement of proliferation in response to HCV (core and NS3 proteins), and to CMV as recall antigen.
CD8+ T cell function was evaluated in 11 HCV-infected women expressing HLAA2 (6 co-infected with HIV and 5 HIV-negative) by determination of IFN-gamma
secreted in response to HLA-A2 restricted HCV or CMV epitopes. All HIV-infected
patients were under anti-retroviral therapy.
Results: Proliferation to HCV proteins was S.I. 1.14 (~ 1.19) in HIV co-infected
women and 1.34 (~ 0.28) in HIV-negative women. In contrast, proliferation to
CMV was S.I. 9.01 (~ 11.9) in HIV co-infected women and 15.5 (~ 24.3) in HIVnegative women.
Secretion of IFN-gamma in response to HCV HLA-A2 restricted epitopes was
226 pg/mI (~ 318) in HIV co-infected patients and undetectable (<50 pg/mI) in
HIV-negative women. IFN-gamma secretion in response to the HLA-A2-restricted
CMV pp65495-503 epitope was 271 pg/ml (~ 325) in HIV co-infected women and
138 pg/ml (+ 137) in HIV-negative women.
Conclusions: The CD4 function to HCV, reflected by proliferation, is low in all
patients independently of co-infection with HIV. However, proliferation to CMV is
reduced in HIV co-infected women compared to women with HCV infection only.
These results suggest that HIV infection -despite antiretroviral treatment- results
in reduced T helper function in co-infected women. The CD8 function reflected
by IFN-gamma secretion in response to both HCV and CMV is higher in HIV coinfected women compared to women with HCV infection only, possibly reflecting
the higher activation of the cytotoxic T cell compartment in HIV-infected subjects.
Presenting author: Maria C. Villacres, Beckman Research Institute of the City
of Hope, 1500 East Duarte Road, Fox 1001C, Duarte, California 91010, United

States, Tel.: [phone], Fax: [phone], E-mail: [email protected]

WePeB6045 Haematological toxicity, effect on CD4 cell count
and on body mass index (BMI) of combined
treatment with Peg-intron~
(1,51g/kg/week)+ribavirin (400 mg/bid) for
hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection in HIV+ patients
on antiretroviral therapy (ART)
C. Tural1, A. Ballesteros1, D. Fuster1, R. Planas2, H. Guardiola1, G. Sirera 1,
J. Romeu 1 A. Salas1, S. Johnston1, J. Tor3, C. Rey-Joly3, R. Muga3,
B. Clotet1. 1AIDS Unit/ Servei de M. Interna, Hospital Germans Trias i Pujol,
Ctra. Canyet s/n, Badalona (Barcelona), Spain; 2Servei de Gstroenterologia,
Hospital Germans Trias i Pujol, Ctra. Canyet s/n, Badalona (Barcelona), Spain;
3 Servei de M. Intema, Hospital Germans Trias i Pujol, Ctra. Canyet s/n,
Badalona (Barcelona), Spain
Background: HCV infection is an important factor in the morbidity and mortality of HIV+ patients (pts). Anti-HCV therapy should be taken into account in the
clinical management of HIV/ HCV coinfected pts. Data about treatment of HCV
infection in HIV+ pts is scarce.
Patients and Methods: 15 HIV+/ VHC coinfected pts receiving treatment
with Peg-Intron~ (1,5vg/kg/week)+ribavirin (RBV) (400 mg/bid) were evaluated
monthly All but one were on HAART All of them had baseline (BL) plasma HIV-1
RNA load <1000 copies/ml. Genotype (g) la/b was the most prevalent (7/15; g
4c/d: 4/15; g 3: 4/15). Median BL HCV load was 5,7 log10 (4,3-6,8). Median GPT
levels was 75 UI/I (47-170). Changes on haematological parameters, CD4+ cell
count and on BMI are shown in table 1.
Hb Leucocytes Neutrophyles Lymphocyte Platelets CD4+ BMI
(gr/dl) (xl09/L) (xl09/L) (xl09/L) (xl09/L) (cells/mm3) (m2)
BL* 13,9 4,8 3,9 1,7 169 494 21,5
(12,6-16,3) (12,1-2,6) (9,0-1,0) (1,0-3,0) (86-237) (324-755)
week4* 12,8 3,6 1,4 1,4 132 480 20,6
(9,9-14,8) (9,8-1,8) (1,8-0,5) (1,0-2,2) (75-220) (188-936)
p-value P<0,05 P<0,05 P<0,05 P<0,05 P<0,05 NS P<0,05*
median (range); Wilcoxon test
No significant changes were observed in the CD4 percentage between BL [29%
(20-45)] and week 4 [29% (22-44)]. One pts. stopped combined treatment with
Peg-lntron~+ribavirin at week 2 because of anemia (Hb: 7,1 gr/dl) and 1 pts required dose reduction of Peg-Intron~ due to neutropenia (0,5x109/L) at week 4.
Results at week 12 will be presented.
Conclusions: Combined therapy with Peg-Intron~ (1,5pg/kg/week)+ribavirin
(400 mg/bid) is safe in HIV+/HCV co-infected patients on ARV. Since RBV adverse events are dose-related, monitoring of BMI in this population could be of
interest in order to detect early toxicity.
Presenting author: Daniel Fuster, AIDS Unit/Servei de Medicina Interna, Hospital Germans Trias i Pujol, Ctra. Cnyet s/n, 08916 Badalona (Barcelona), Spain,
Tel.: [phone], Fax: [phone], E-mail: [email protected]
WePeB6046I Lifestyles of boys and girls, partnership and
sexual risks
Z.H. Hradilekova, L.I. Luksik. Faculty of Education, Faculty of Education,
Racianska 59, 831 06 Bratislava, slovakia, Slovakia
Sexuality and its risks are rebound with the lifestyle of young people, mainly with
their social life in leisure time activities. Main objective of this study was to describe the lifestyles of young people in a transforming society We also consider
in what way these lifestyles influence partnership, sexuality and its risks.
Research ran with the help of semi - structured interview and had folowing parts:
1.School, 2. Residence, department, family, 3. Leisure time, 4. Social life, 5.
Friendship, partnership, 6. Attire, 7. Myself, future. Interview was, with an agreement of participants, recorded on audio tape and then word by word transcribed
to PC. Data analyses was realized according to the "Grouded theory" (Strauss,
Corbin, 1999). In general, we followed so called "grouding" of all analyses to the
real discourse and bigger conceptual condensation.
Research sample, for the purpose of this analyses, consisted of 26 young people,
13 - 24 years old, from 5 localities: Bratislava (capital city of Slovakia), western
and eastern parts of Slovakia.
Lifestyles of young people considered to be as of a higher partnership and sexual
risks are as follows: Boyish wandering in the city for the purpose of entertainment
and girls, not specified music and cheap entertainment in pubs. To be far away
from parents, to rebel against authorities, alliances connected with nature and
music, easy access to drugs. Girlish: Limited opportunities are challenging for the
escape to other world: book, music, drugs, sex.
Young people are influenced with traditional gender stereotypes, which are prescribing, resp. helping boys to have more physical activities. Sexual risks of these
stereotypes emerge from lowered social control among boys and form lowered
opportunieties to gain social skills of negotiating and rejecting among girls.
One of the outcome of this study will be the book about the leisure time lifestyles

of young people addressed to professionals working with young people.
Presenting author: Zuzana Hradilekova, Faculty of Education, Racianska 59,
831 06 Bratislava, slovakia, Slovakia, Tel.: [phone], E-mail: zuzana.
[email protected]