The Centre for Infectious Disease Research in Zambia (CIDRZ) and global partners conducted a study to assess the prevalence and correlates of liver disease among adults with HIV at the start of antiretroviral therapy (ART) in Lusaka. To do this, CIDRZ used transient elastography to measure liver stiffness as an indicator of fibrosis and cirrhosis.

Among 651 participants with valid results, 12% had significant fibrosis, and 2% had cirrhosis. Hepatitis B virus (HBV) coinfection was present in 12% of cases and was the strongest predictor of liver damage. Alcohol use was also assessed every day, affecting 41% of participants.

The study found that HBV coinfection, older age, male sex, and advanced HIV disease were independently linked to increased liver stiffness. Elevated ALT and HBV viral load were associated with worse liver outcomes among coinfected individuals. While alcohol was not a clear-cut correlate with the liver stiffness in this study, unhealthy alcohol use is a well-known cause of liver problems.

These findings highlight the need for early HBV diagnosis and integrated care for people with HIV-HBV coinfection to reduce liver-related complications and improve treatment outcomes.

Read the full study here and explore the findings: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/27499385/