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Background: Although the prevalence and mortality of hepatitis is high in the Asia‐Pacific region, few studies are available on the diagnosis, treatment, and cure rates for viral hepatitis among people living with HIV in this area. This study aims to report the cascade of care (CoC) for hepatitis B (HBV) and C (HCV) among people living with HIV receiving combined antiretroviral therapy (ART). Methods: Patients enrolled in the TREAT Asia HIV Observational Database Low Intensity Transfer (TAHOD‐LITE) cohort, on ART, and with follow‐up data from 2010 to 2019 were included. Patients were determined as positive for HCV or HBV co‐infection if they ever tested positive for HCV antibody (anti‐HCV) or HBV surface antigen (HBsAg), respectively. Results: In total, 39% (8612/22 340) of the adult HIV cohort had undergone HBsAg testing, with 8% (672/8612) testing positive. HBV CoC demonstrated that 71% (474/672) of those with HBsAg positive results initiated treatment, 67% (318/474) of those on treatment had HBV DNA testing to evaluate treatment progression, and 18% (58/318) of those tested reached viral suppression. Of the cohort, 37% (8231/22 340) had anti‐HCV testing, of whom 10% (779/8231) tested positive. The HCV CoC showed that 68% (526/779) of those with positive anti‐HCV tests had HCV RNA tests, of whom 51% (267/526) had detectable HCV RNA. Among those with detectable HCV RNA, 65% (174/267) initiated HCV treatment. Of the 40% (69/174) who initiated HCV treatment, 90% (62/69) reached sustained virological response. Conclusion: Our findings identified less frequent testing in the healthcare system and limited access to treatment as gaps in the CoC for viral hepatitis. More routine HCV RNA and HBV DNA testing is required for patients with positive screening tests to identify those in need of treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: Early mortality among those still initiating antiretroviral therapy (ART) with advanced stages of HIV infection in resource‐limited settings remains high despite recommendations for universal HIV treatment. We investigated risk factors associated with early mortality in people living with HIV (PLHIV) starting ART at low CD4 levels in the Asia‐Pacific. Methods: PLHIV enrolled in the Therapeutics, Research, Education and AIDS Training in Asia (TREAT Asia) HIV Observational Database (TAHOD) who initiated ART with a CD4 count < 100 cells/μL between 2003 and 2018 were included in the study. Early mortality was defined as death within 1 year of ART initiation. PLHIV in follow‐up for > 1 year were censored at 12 months. Competing risk regression was used to analyse risk factors with loss to follow‐up as a competing risk. Results: A total of 1813 PLHIV were included in the study, of whom 74% were male. With 73 (4%) deaths, the overall first‐year mortality rate was 4.27 per 100 person‐years (PY). Thirty‐eight deaths (52%) were AIDS‐related, 10 (14%) were immune reconstituted inflammatory syndrome (IRIS)‐related, 13 (18%) were non‐AIDS‐related and 12 (16%) had an unknown cause. Risk factors included having a body mass index (BMI) < 18.5 [sub‐hazard ratio (SHR) 2.91; 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.60–5.32] compared to BMI 18.5–24.9, and alanine aminotransferase (ALT) ≥ 5 times its upper limit of normal (ULN) (SHR 6.14; 95% CI 1.62–23.20) compared to ALT < 5 times its ULN. A higher CD4 count (51–100 cells/μL: SHR 0.28; 95% CI 0.14–0.55; and > 100 cells/μL: SHR 0.12; 95% CI 0.05–0.26) was associated with reduced hazard for mortality compared to CD4 count ≤ 25 cells/μL. Conclusions: Fifty‐two per cent of early deaths were AIDS‐related. Efforts to initiate ART at CD4 counts > 50 cell/μL are associated with improved short‐term survival rates, even in those with late stages of HIV disease. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]