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The influence of abacavir and other antiretroviral agents on virological response to HCV therapy among antiretroviral-treated HIV-infected patients

Background It remains unclear if certain antiretroviral medications, particularly abacavir, compromise response to HCV therapy. Such data could inform the selection of appropriate antiretrovirals in HIV/HCV-coinfected patients. The aim of this study was to determine if use of abacavir, as well as other antiretrovirals, was associated with reduced response to pegylated interferon (PEG-IFN) plus ribavirin. Methods A cohort study was performed among antiretroviral- treated HIV/HCV-coinfected patients initiating PEG-IFN plus ribavirin between January 2001 and June 2007 at six sites in the United States. Abacavir and other antiretrovirals represented exposures of interest. Study outcomes included an early virological response (≥2 log IU/ml decrease in HCV viral load at 12 weeks) and sustained virological response (undetectable HCV viral load 24 weeks after treatment discontinuation). Results Among 212 patients, 74 (35%) received abacavir. For patients infected with HCV genotype 1 or 4, no differences were observed between abacavir users and non-users in early virological response (26 [40%] versus 53 [44%]; adjusted odds ratio [OR] 1.00; 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.50–2.00) or sustained virological response (8 [13%] versus 13 [12%]; adjusted OR 1.34; 95% CI 0.50–3.62). Among genotype 2 and 3 patients, rates of early virological response (7 [78%] versus 16 [89%]; OR 0.44; 95% CI 0.05–3.76) and sustained virological response (3 [33%] versus 8 [44%]; OR 0.63; 95% CI 0.12–3.32) were also similar between abacavir users and non-users. No association was found between other antiretrovirals and a lack of early or sustained response. Conclusions Use of abacavir or other antiretroviral medications was not associated with reduced early or sustained virological response rates.