Correlations Between Viro-Immunologic Status of the Newly Diagnosed Patient with HIV Infection and Liver Damage

Abstract

Abstract Liver damage can be a direct consequence of human immunodeficiency virus infection or indirect mechanisms triggered by human immunodeficiency virus. Hepatic fibrosis may be present in patients newly diagnosed with HIV infection or in those with viro-immunologic failure after initiation of antiretroviral therapy. In the present study we evaluated biologically and viro-immunologically the 351 patients newly diagnosed with HIV infection in the Regional Center Constanta between 01.01.2015 and 31.06.2024, subsequently re- evaluated one year after diagnosis and institution of specific medication. Liver fibrosis stage was assessed using APRI, FIB4 and FORNS scores. The cohort comprised 351 patients, 313 with HIV monoinfection. The mean age at diagnosis was 36.09 years, predominantly male (237 patients). The median CD4+ cell count was 269.5 cells/mm3, and the median HIV-RNA was 164 x103 copies/mL. Most cases were CDC staged A2 (91 cases) and C3 (77 cases). Patients with HIV monoinfection showed a significant association between CD4+ cell level and ALT (p=0.026) and AST (p<0.001), respectively. We observed statistically significant correlation between AST and viral load values (p=0.003 in monoinfection and 0.042 in coinfection). APRI, FIB4 and FORNS scores averaged higher in the coinfected group compared to the HIV monoinfected group. Statistically significant associations were found between APRI, FIB4, FORNS scores and CD4+ cell counts and HIV viral load values, respectively.