Objective: To describe liver disease epidemiology among HIV-infected individuals in Zambia.
Methods: We recruited HIV-infected adults (≥18 years) at antiretroviral therapy initiation at two facilities in Lusaka. Using vibration controlled transient elastography, we assessed liver stiffness, a surrogate for fibrosis/cirrhosis, and analysed liver stiffness measurements (LSM) according to established thresholds (>7.0 kPa for significant fibrosis and >11.0 kPa for cirrhosis). All participants underwent standardised screening for potential causes of liver disease including chronic hepatitis B (HBV) and C virus co-infection, herbal medicine, and alcohol use. We used multivariable logistic regression to identify factors associated with elevated liver stiffness.
Results: Among 798 HIV-infected patients, 651 had a valid LSM (median age, 34 years; 53% female). HBV co-infection (12%) and alcohol use disorders (41%) were common and hepatitis C virus co-infection (<1%) was rare. According to LSM, 75 (12%) had significant fibrosis and 13 (2%) had cirrhosis. In multivariable analysis, HBV co-infection as well as male sex, increased age and WHO clinical stage 3 or 4 were independently associated with LSM >7.0 kPa (all P < 0.05). HBV co-infection was the only independent risk factor for LSM >11.0 kPa. Among HIV-HBV patients, those with elevated ALT and HBV viral load were more likely to have significant liver fibrosis than patients with normal markers of HBV activity.
Conclusions: HBV co-infection was the most important risk factor for liver fibrosis and cirrhosis and should be diagnosed early in HIV care to optimise treatment outcomes.
Keywords: Africa; Afrique; HIV/AIDS; VIH/SIDA; alcohol use disorder; alcoholismo; elastografía transitoria; fibrose hépatique; fibrosis hepática; hepatitis B virus; liver fibrosis; transient elastography; trouble de la consommation d'alcool; virus de l'hépatite B; virus hepatitis B; África; élastographie transitoire.
© 2016 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.