Time to HCV Treatment Disfavors Patients Living with HIV/HCV Co-infection: Findings from a Large Urban Tertiary Center

This study aimed to assess time to hepatitis C (HCV) treatment (i.e., the time between the initial clinic visit for HCV evaluation and the HCV treatment start date), to compare clinical characteristics between patients who received HCV treatment ≥ and < 6 months, and to identify predictors of longer time to HCV treatment in patients living with HCV. This study conducted a retrospective secondary analysis of patients living with HCV mono-infection and HIV/HCV co-infection who received HCV treatment with DAAs ( n =214) at a HIV Clinic. Binomial logistic regression was used to identify predictors of longer time to treatment (i.e., ≥ 6 months). The median time to HCV treatment was 211 days. Compared to patients who were treated < 6 months, a higher proportion of patients who were treated ≥ 6 months had HIV/HCV co-infection (31% vs. 49%, p =0.01) and chronic kidney disease (8% vs. 18%, p =0.03). In multivariate analysis, HIV/HCV co-infection was positively associated with a longer time to HCV treatment (adjusted odds ratio, aOR=2.0, p =0.03). Time to HCV treatment disparities between African American and White American did not emerge from the analysis, but time to HCV treatment disfavored patients living with HIV/HCV co-infection. Studies are needed to identify and eliminate factors that disfavor patients living with HIV/HCV co-infection.