A substantial percentage of the excess mortality in HIV-infected injection drug users (IDUs) appears to be explained by hepatitis C coinfection, according to international research. Mortality was higher in IDUs than in non-IDUs, but the effect of injection drug use on mortality was substantially attenuated after adjusting for hepatitis C infection. Attenuation of the effect of hepatitis C was less substantial after adjustment for injection drug use.
Source: Journal of Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndromes, July 1, 2015.
An abstract of the study is available at http://journals.lww.com/jaids/Abstract/2015/07010/Injection_Drug_Use_and_Hepatitis_C_as_Risk_Factors.15.aspx.
