Liver Fibrosis in Treatment-naïve HIV-infected and HIV/HBV-coinfected Patients: Zambia and Switzerland Compared

Abstract

Objective

To examine the association between HBV infection and liver fibrosis in HIV-infected patients in Zambia and Switzerland.

Design and Methods

We included HIV-infected adults starting antiretroviral therapy in two clinics in Zambia and Switzerland. Liver fibrosis was evaluated using the AST-to-Platelet-Ratio Index (APRI), with a ratio >1.5 defining significant fibrosis and >2.0 cirrhosis. The association between HBsAg-positivity, HBV replication and liver fibrosis was examined using logistic regression.

Results

In Zambia 96 (13.0%) of 739 patients were HBsAg-positive compared to 93 (4.5%) of 2,058 in Switzerland. HBsAg-positive patients were more likely to have significant liver fibrosis than HBsAg-negative ones: the adjusted odds ratio (aOR) was 3.25 (95% CI 1.44-7.33) in Zambia and 2.50 (1.19-5.25) in Switzerland. Patients with high HBV viral load (≥20,000 UI/mL) were more likely to have significant liver fibrosis compared to HBsAg-negative patients or patients with undetectable viral load: aOR 3.85 (1.29-11.44) in Zambia and 4.20 (1.64-10.76) in Switzerland. In both settings male sex was a strong risk factor for significant liver fibrosis.

Conclusions

Despite the differences in HBV natural history between sub-Saharan Africa and Europe, the degree of liver fibrosis and the association with important risk factors were similar.