Distinct hepatitis C virus kinetics in HIV- infected patients treated with ribavirin plus either pegylated interferon α-2a or α-2b Eugenia Vispo, Pablo Barreiro, Sonia Rodríguez-Nóvoa, Judit Morello, Pablo Labarga, Luz Martín-Carbonero, Ivana Maida, Pilar Garcia-Gascó and Vincent Soriano Infectious Diseases Department Hospital Carlos III, Madrid, Spain
BACKGROUND Pegylated interferon alpha -2a and -2b differ in their molecular weight and consequently in their pharmacokinetic properties might impact on their respective antiviral effects could be more pronounced in HIV-infected individuals, in whom response to hepatitis C virus treatment is impaired
PURPOSE OF THE STUDY Assess and compare the kinetics of serum HCV-RNA during the first 24 weeks of therapy with pegIFNα-2a or -2b in a relatively large group of HIV-HCV coinfected patients
PATIENTS AND METHODS All HCV/HIV patients included in PRESCO and EXTENT trials recruited at one referral centre were retrospectively analysed Ribavirin at doses of mg/day was prescribed along with standard doses of pegIFNα-2a or -2b The attainment of serum HCV-RNA <10 IU/mL at weeks 4, 12 and 24 was assessed On-treatment analyses were made to estimate the intrinsic potency of pegIFNα-2a versus -2b after adjusting for other variables
Main characteristics of the study population PegIFN -2aPegIFN -2b p No. of patients13880 Male gender (%) Mean age (years) 45 844 Mean body weight (kg)69±1167± Mean CD4 count (cells/ L)549 Mean serum HIV-RNA (log copies/mL) 2.1 Plasma HIV-RNA <50 copies/mL (%) Concomitan antiretroviral therapy (%) Mean serum HCV-RNA (log IU/mL) 6.06 Baseline HCV-RNA >800,000 IU/mL (%) HCV genotypes 1 or 4 (%) Mean liver elasticity (Kpa) 10.9 Advanced liver fibrosis (Metavir F3-F4) (%)
RESULTS (1) Proportion (%) of patients with serum HCV-RNA <10 IU/mL (on treatment analysis) PegIFN -2a (n=138) PegIFN -2b (n=80) P Week 4 All patients Genotypes 2/ Genotypes 1/ Week 12 All patients Genotypes 2/ Genotypes 1/ Week 24 All patients Genotypes 2/ Genotypes 1/
Univariate analysisMultivariate analysis OR [95 % CI] pOR [95 % IC] p Age (per year)0.96 [ ] Mean body weight (per kg)0.92 [ ] CD4 count (per cells/ L) 1 [ ] Advanced liver fibrosis (>9.5 kPa)0.89 [ ] Mean baseline serum HCV-RNA (per log IU/mL)0.63 [ ] [ ] 0.09 HCV genotypes 2/3 vs 1/49.09 [ ] < [ ] <0.001 RBV plasma trough levels (per g/mL) 1.48 [ ] Concomitant antiretroviral therapy0.59 [ ] Zidovudine use0.36 [ ] [ ] 0.02 Abacavir use0.71 [ ] PegIFN α-2a vs α-2b2.56 [ ] [ ] 0.04 RESULTS (2) Predictors of serum HCV-RNA suppression <10 IU/mL at week 24
RESULTS (4) Evolution of mean serum HCV-RNA levels according to pegylated interferon treatment modality and HCV genotype (on-treatment analysis) HCV genotypes 1 or pegIFN alpha-2a pegIFN alpha-2b p=0.88 p=0.20 p=0.01 p=0.06 Weeks Serum HCV-RNA (log IU/mL)
RESULTS (5) Evolution of mean serum HCV-RNA levels according to pegylated interferon treatment modality and HCV genotype (on-treatment analysis) HCV genotypes 2 or p= pegIFN alpha-2a pegIFN alpha-2b p=0.38 p=0.01 p=0.07 Weeks Serum HCV-RNA (log IU/mL)
RESULTS (5) Adverse events leading to premature interruption of pegylated interferon plus ribavirin therapy PegIFN -2a (n=159) PegIFN -2b (n=83) p Overall21 (13.2%)3 (3.6%)0.018 Flu-like symptoms12 (7.5%)1 (1.2%)0.038 Weight loss 2 (1.3%)00.4 Psychiatric disorders4 (2.5%)2 (2.4%)0.6 Others3 (1.9%)00.3
DISCUSSION SUPRESSION OF HCV-RNA: more pronounced with pegIFNα-2a Genotypes 2/3: limited to week 4 and lost thereafter Genotypes 1/4: mainly noticed at week 24 ADVERSE EVENTS: incidence was significantly lower using pegIFNα-2b than -2a, which could account for more similar responses using ITT analysis. EXPLANATION: a greater and more durable drug exposure to pegIFNα- 2a than to -2b due to longer half-life of the former Limitations: retrospective study slight differences in baseline characteristics of study populations, although not significant.
CONCLUSION In HIV patients with chronic hepatitis C, in whom the antiviral effect of IFNα may be impaired, a greater efficacy of pegIFNα-2a than -2b could be recognised An insufficient sustained antiviral effect at the end of weekly interval administration of pegIFNα-2b due to its shorter half-life could explain this observation
LaboratoryClinical AreaPharmacology unit Antonio MadejónPablo BarreiroJudith Morello Marcelle BottechiaLuz Martín-Carbonero Sonia Rodríguez-Novoa José Miguel Benito Pablo LabargaInmaculada Jiménez Norma RallonFrancisco Blanco Mariola LópezPaula Tuma José Medrano Ivana Maida Dolores Herrero Pablo Rivas Vicente Soriano José Vicente Fernández Juan González-Lahoz Acknowledgments