HIV and liver disease forum: Conference proceedings

✍ Scribed by Kenneth E. Sherman; Marion Peters; Margaret James Koziel

• Book ID: 102241531
• Publisher: John Wiley and Sons
• Year: 2007
• Tongue: English
• Weight: 218 KB
• Volume: 45
• Category: Article
• ISSN: 0270-9139
• DOI: 10.1002/hep.21722

✦ Synopsis

he management of HIV/AIDS has undergone a revolution in recent years. Following the introduction of highly active antiretroviral therapies (HAARTs) in 1996, there was a rapid and dramatic decrease in mortality associated with opportunistic infections that complicate advanced HIV infection. The drop in the incidence and prevalence of formerly common opportunistic disease processes such as atypical mycobacterial infections, Pneumocystis jiroveci (formerly Pneumocystis carinii) pneumonia, and Kaposi's sarcoma was accompanied by a concomitant increase in the proportion of persons with morbidity and mortality associated with liver disease. 1,2 The reasons for this are multifactorial and include longer life expectancy in those with HIV infection, accelerated injury associated with hepatitis C virus (HCV) and hepatitis B virus (HBV) infections, and idiosyncratic hepatotoxic reactions. Before the widespread use of HAART, hepatologists seldom had a direct role in the care and management of patients, and when complex hepatic issues, such as the treatment of coinfected patients, assessment and management of complex HIV medications, and care of HIV-infected patients with end-stage liver disease, became more common, they were poorly prepared to deal with them.