Should HIV-infected patients with unexplained chronic liver enzyme elevations be tested for hepatitis E virus?

摘要

We read with interest the report by Kovari et al [1] describing 385 human immunodeficiency virus (HlV)-infected individuals with incident chronic elevations of alanine aminotrans-ferase levels, in the absence of hepatitis C or B virus coinfection. The authors found that chronic alanine aminotransferase elevation in their population was associated with high body mass index, frequent alcohol consumption, and cumulative exposure to combination antiretroviral therapy, especially to stavudine.