New
Meta-analysis
Shows a Significant
Benefit for
Late GBV-C Infection
on the Survival
of HIV-infected
Individuals
There
have been contradictory
reports on the
impact of the
GBV
virus C (GBV-C)
infection
on the survival
and rate of
disease progression
of individuals
with HIV infection.
The current
study, a meta-analysis,
sought to synthesize
from the available
studies the
effect of HIV
coinfection
with GBV-C on
the survival
of HIV positive
persons and
to estimate
the effect.
The
investigators
reviewed prospective
survival studies
of HIV positive
individuals,
with outcome
defined as time
from baseline
to all-cause
death. They
classified these
studies by whether
GBV-C status
was determined
in early or
late HIV disease.
The
primary measure
was the hazard
ratio (HR) of
death for HIV
positive persons
with GBV-C infection
versus those
without GBV-C
infection.
Results
| | There
was no difference
in age, race,
antiretroviral
therapy use,
or hepatitis
C virus exposure
between responders
and nonresponders.
|
 | In
univariate analysis,
responders were
more likely
to be female
(40.3%vs 21.1%,
have a higher
CD4 count at
vaccine (508.6
cells/mm3vs
344.3 cells/mm3)
and marginally
lower viral
load at vaccine
(2.65 log copies
vs 2.94 log
copies. |
| | Multivariate
analysis showed
that female
gender and higher
CD4 count at
vaccine were
independent
predictors of
response to
vaccine. |
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and Hepatitis.com
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