Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) Infection Is Associated With Lower Risk of Hepatocellular Carcinoma After Sustained Virological Response to Direct-acting Antivirals in Hepatitis C Infected Patients With Advanced Fibrosis

Abstract

The aim of this study was to assess the impact of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection on the risk of developing hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) in patients infected with hepatitis C virus (HCV) who achieve sustained virological response (SVR) with direct-acting antiviral (DAA). Multisite prospective cohort study, where HCV-monoinfected patients and HIV/HCV-coinfected individuals were included if they met: (1) SVR with DAA-based combination; (2) liver stiffness (LS) ≥9.5 kPa previous to treatment; (3) LS measurement at the SVR time-point. The main endpoint was the occurrence of HCC. Propensity score (PS) was calculated to address potential confounders due to unbalanced distribution of baseline characteristics of HIV/HCV-coinfected and HCV-monoinfected patients. In total, 1035 HCV-infected patients were included, 667 (64%) coinfected with HIV. After a median (Q1–Q3) follow-up time of 43 (31–49) months, 19 (1.8%) patients developed HCC (11 [3.0%]; HCV-monoinfected, 8[1.2%]; HIV/HCV-coinfected individuals; P = .013). In the multivariable analysis, HIV coinfection was associated with a lower adjusted risk of developing HCC (subhazard ratio [sHR] = 0.27, 95% confidence interval [CI]: .08–.90; P = .034). Predictors of HCC emergence were: HCV genotype 3 (sHR = 7.9, 95% CI: 2.5–24.9; P < .001), MELD score at SVR >10 (sHR = 1.37, 95% CI: 1.01–1.86; P = .043) and LS value at SVR (sHR = 1.03, 95% CI: 1.01–1.06, for 1 kPa increase; P = .011). Using inverse probability weighting method on the PS, HIV-infected patients had a lower risk of HCC (powered HR = 0.33, 95% CI: .11–.85). Among HCV-infected patients with advanced fibrosis, who achieve SVR with DAA, HIV coinfection seems to be associated with a lower risk of HCC occurrence. The underlying causes for this finding need to be investigated.