BACKGROUND: The aim of this study was to investigate the hepatic disordersin a cohort of HIV-infected patients including clinical, biochemical, serological and histopathologicaldata.
MATERIAL AND METHODS: 125 patients, 23 (18.4%) females and 102 (81.6%) males with an average ageof 30.2+/-8.4 yrs, were retrospectively analysed. 61 patients (49.2%) were i. v. drug users (IVDU) and64 patients (51.8%) were infected HIV by sexual contact. AIDS was diagnosed in 52 (41.6%) patients.
RESULTS:Hepatomegaly was detected in 62 (49.6%) patients. An increased serum aspartate aminotransferase (AST)level was found in 110 (88%) patients. Testing showed 61 (48.8%) patients with evidence of a historyof hepatitis B infection; 71 (56.8%) were anti-HCV positive and 40 (32%) had serological markers of bothinfections. 36 (28.8%) patients underwent liver biopsy. Abnormalities were detected in 32 (88%) patients.The biopsies of 13 (37.1%) patients revealed features of chronic viral hepatitis.
CONCLUSIONS: HCV andHBV co-infection is frequently encountered in this cohort of HIV-infected patients. In the majority ofcases the liver diseases were asymptomatic or mildly symptomatic. The hepatic disorders found in HIV-infectedpatients are due to different etiopathogenic factors.

Keywords: hepatic disorders, HIV-positive patients, retrospective study