Study design classification of registry-based studies in systematic reviews

A protocolized five strategies in open repair for ruptured abdominal aortic aneurysm

OBJECTIVES

Although the medical field has made significant progress, there has been little improvement in the survival rate of patients with ruptured abdominal aortic aneurysms (rAAAs). We implemented a protocol consisting of five strategies in the management of rAAA patients who underwent open repair surgery.

METHODS

The protocol comprised the following strategies: intentional hypotension <70 mmHg, lung first and kidney last policy (restricted fluid resuscitation and permissive oligoanuria), immediate postoperative extubation, free-water intake with active ambulation, and open abdomen with the routine second-look operation. The study included 13 patients (11 male) with a mean age of 75.5 ± 7.4 (range: 58-87) years who underwent the procedure from 2016 to 2018, with a mean follow-up of 40.1 ± 9.04 months. Five deteriorating to hemodynamic shock and decreased consciousness requiring intubation and ventilation prior to surgery were observed. Two of these patients required preoperative cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR).

RESULTS

All patients regained consciousness after surgery, including the two patients who required cardiopulmonary resuscitation. Immediate postoperative extubation was performed in nine patients, but two (22.2%) of them needed re-intubation due to ventilation/perfusion mismatch. Four patients underwent continuous renal replacement therapy, with three of them having anuria for up to 48 h after surgery. Two of these patients made a full recovery. Daily ambulation was carried out for a mean of 4.77 ± 3.5 (range 1-13) days with an open abdomen, during which no significant events were reported. Four cases of colon ischemia/necrosis were identified in the second-look operation, with two patients requiring Hartman's procedure and the other two undergoing left colon partial resection. There were two in-hospital mortalities (15.4%).

CONCLUSIONS

A protocol-based approach, through multidisciplinary team consensus and the development of optimal surgical strategies, could improve clinical outcomes for patients undergoing emergency surgery for rAAA. Further studies with larger sample sizes are needed to refine the protocols.

National ICU Registries as Enablers of Clinical Research and Quality Improvement

OBJECTIVES

Clinical quality registries (CQRs) have been implemented worldwide by several medical specialties aiming to generate a better characterization of epidemiology, treatments, and outcomes of patients. National ICU registries were created almost 3 decades ago to improve the understanding of case-mix, resource use, and outcomes of critically ill patients. This narrative review describes the challenges, proposed solutions, and evidence generated by National ICU registries as facilitators for research and quality improvement.

DATA SOURCES

English language articles were identified in PubMed using phrases related to ICU registries, CQRs, outcomes, and case-mix.

STUDY SELECTION

Original research, review articles, letters, and commentaries, were considered.

DATA EXTRACTION

Data from relevant literature were identified, reviewed, and integrated into a concise narrative review.

DATA SYNTHESIS

CQRs have been implemented worldwide by several medical specialties aiming to generate a better characterization of epidemiology, treatments, and outcomes of patients. National ICU registries were created almost 3 decades ago to improve the understanding of case-mix, resource use, and outcomes of critically ill patients. The initial experience in European countries and in Oceania ensured that through locally generated data, ICUs could assess their performances by using risk-adjusted measures and compare their results through fair and validated benchmarking metrics with other ICUs contributing to the CQR. The accomplishment of these initiatives, coupled with the increasing adoption of information technology, resulted in a broad geographic expansion of CQRs as well as their use in quality improvement studies, clinical trials as well as international comparisons, and benchmarking for ICUs.

CONCLUSIONS

ICU registries have provided increased knowledge of case-mix and outcomes of ICU patients based on real-world data and contributed to improve care delivery through quality improvement initiatives and trials. Recent increases in adoption of new technologies (i.e., cloud-based structures, artificial intelligence, machine learning) will ensure a broader and better use of data for epidemiology, healthcare policies, quality improvement, and clinical trials.

Iranian school-aged twin registry: preliminary reports and project progress

BACKGROUND

National Persian school-aged twin registry was established to provide a platform for twin studies. In this report, we describe defining registry characteristics, database design, and preliminary results regarding gathered data in the first phase of the registry program.

METHOD

Through focus group discussions, the required data elements to design the database and data collection process were defined. First, a list of twins in school-aged groups was retrieved from the electronic database of the Ministry of Education. Tehran schools were selected for the first phase of our registry. Standard "Pea-in-Pods" questionnaire and twins' similarity questionnaires were filled out by the parents themselves in addition to demographic information. Data were analyzed using SPSS v.22.

RESULTS

The first national school-aged twin registry was established in 2018. Firstly, the required data sets and data collection process were defined using focus group discussions. At the country level, the initial information on 189,738 students was retrieved from the national database of the Ministry of Education. They were born between 2003 and 2017, of which 94,997 are boys (50.1%) and 94,741 are girls (49.9%). Of them, a total of 5,642 pairs of school-aged twins participated in the first phase of our program. Our sample size comprised 9772 twins, 906 triples, and 92 quadruplets. The analysis of the zygosity questionnaire showed that 14% of twin pairs were identified as monozygotic twins.

CONCLUSION

Recruiting school-aged twins through school health assistants leads to high enrollment and decreasing costs for the twin registry. The study showed a high rate of dizygotic twins that need to be verified by twin bio-sample in the next phase of studies.

Clinical outcomes of brain metastasectomy from soft tissue and bone sarcomas: a systematic review

BACKGROUND

Brain metastasis in sarcomas is associated with a poor prognosis. Data regarding prognostic factors and clinical outcomes of surgical resection of brain metastasis from sarcomas are limited. The objective of this systematic review was to evaluate survival outcomes post-brain metastasectomy for patients with soft tissue and bone sarcomas.

METHODS

A systematic review was conducted examining survival outcomes among adults and children with soft tissue and bone sarcoma undergoing brain metastasectomy, in the English language from inception up to May 31, 2021. Two reviewers independently evaluated and screened the literature, extracted the data, and graded the included studies. The body of evidence was evaluated and graded according to the Newcastle-Ottawa Quality Assessment Scale for Cohort Studies and the Joanna Briggs Institute Critical Appraisal Checklist for Case Series. Results were synthesized using descriptive methods. A meta-analysis was not possible due to the low quality and heterogeneity of studies.

RESULTS

Ten studies published between 1994 and 2020 were included: three were retrospective cohort studies and seven were case series. 507 patients were included, of whom 269 underwent brain metastasectomy. The median follow-up period ranged between 14 and 29 months. The median survival period after metastasectomy ranged from 7 to 25 months. The most common prognostic factors associated with survival included presenting performance status, age, number of brain metastases, presence of lung metastases, and peri-operative radiation therapy administration.

DISCUSSION

Although the level of evidence is low, retrospective studies support that brain metastasectomy can be performed with reasonable post-operative survival in selected individuals.

Metastasectomy in Leiomyosarcoma: A Systematic Review and Pooled Survival Analysis

Simple Summary

Leiomyosarcoma (LMS) is an aggressive soft tissue sarcoma with a poor prognosis. Approximately 40% of patients will develop metastatic disease. The optimal treatment for patients with metastatic LMS is not well established, and there are no randomized controlled trials regarding metastasectomy. This systematic review and pooled survival analysis aims to assess the survival in patients undergoing a metastasectomy for LMS and compare the outcomes based on the site of metastasectomy. We identified that patients with LMS metastases in the lungs, liver, spine, and brain can undergo metastasectomy with acceptable survival. Two studies have compared survival outcomes between patients treated and not treated with metastasectomy; despite their low quality, these studies support a survival benefit associated with metastasectomy.

Abstract

This study assesses the survival in patients undergoing metastasectomy for leiomyosarcoma (LMS) and compares the outcomes by the site of metastasectomy. We conducted a systematic review and pooled survival analysis of patients undergoing metastasectomy for LMS. Survival was compared between sites of metastasectomy. We identified 23 studies including 573 patients undergoing metastasectomy for LMS. The pooled median survival was 59.6 months (95% CI 33.3 to 66.0). The pooled median survival was longest for lung metastasectomy (72.8 months 95% CI 63.0 to 82.5), followed by liver (34.8 months 95% CI 22.3 to 47.2), spine (14.1 months 95% CI 8.6 to 19.7), and brain (14 months 95% CI 6.7 to 21.3). Two studies compared the survival outcomes between patients who did, versus who did not undergo metastasectomy; both demonstrated a significantly improved survival with metastasectomy. We conclude that surgery is currently being utilized for LMS metastases to the lung, liver, spine, and brain with acceptable survival. Although low quality, comparative studies support a survival benefit with metastasectomy. In the absence of randomized studies, it is impossible to determine whether the survival benefit associated with metastasectomy is due to careful patient selection rather than a surgical advantage; limited data were included about patient selection.

A retrospective registry analysis of the transport-related health burden of wheeled recreational devices in Queensland, Australia

OBJECTIVE

Evaluate injury patterns from wheeled recreational devices (WRD) in the public space and explore risk factors for hospital admission.

METHOD

A cross-sectional analysis of WRD injury prevalence and risk factors for hospital admissions was conducted using data from the Queensland Injury Surveillance Unit (QISU) database for 2007 to 2017. Descriptive statistics and a log-binomial regression model were used to calculate adjusted relative risk for hospital admission.

RESULTS

Most WRD injury in the public space was related to stand-alone WRD injury events such as falls, with few reported WRD users being hit by vehicles from 2007 to 2017. Stand-alone WRD injury events had a higher independent risk of hospital admissions when injured in the head/neck/face (RR 2.08, 95%CI 1.6 to 2.8, p<0.001), and when the injury was a fracture (RR 2.57, 95%CI 2.1 to 3.3, p<0.001) or a brain injury (RR 3.19, 95%CI 2.5 to 4.1, p<0.001).

CONCLUSION

Head, brain and facial injuries and fractures are leading preventable factors for hospital admissions due to WRD injury. These types of injuries generate a preventable burden to the health system. Implications for public health: The results support the need to consider legislation regarding mandatory helmet use for non-motorised WRD when used on public roads and footpaths, while further research is conducted. This strategy could reduce the long-term health outcomes associated with head, face and brain injury in young commuters.

Clinical Utility of 18F-FDG PET in Neuroendocrine Tumors Prior to Peptide Receptor Radionuclide Therapy: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Simple Summary

Functional imaging with ¹⁸F-fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography (¹⁸F-FDG PET) has evolved into a major clinical tool in cancer diagnosis and management for many malignancies in diverse clinical settings, providing valuable information on tumor behavior and aggressiveness. In the field of neuroendocrine tumors (NETs), recent advances in molecular imaging and targeted treatments with novel theranostic agents favor a more patient-tailored approach. Although peptide receptor radionuclide therapy (PRRT) has recently become an established therapy for progressive NETs, the role of ¹⁸F-FDG PET prior to PRRT in patients with NETs of different origins and grades remains to be determined. Herein, we provide a comprehensive summary of available evidence in contemporary literature by means of a systematic review and meta-analysis, demonstrating that dual-functional imaging with ⁶⁸Ga-DOTA-peptides and ¹⁸F-FDG prior to PRRT appears to be a useful tool in NET management by delineating tumor somatostatin receptor expression and glycolytic metabolic activity, and predicting tumor response and survival outcomes.

Abstract

The role of ¹⁸F-FDG PET in patients with variable grades of neuroendocrine tumors (NETs) prior to peptide receptor radionuclide therapy (PRRT) has not been adequately elucidated. We aimed to evaluate the impact of ¹⁸F-FDG PET status on disease control rate (DCR), progression-free survival (PFS), and overall survival (OS) in neuroendocrine tumor (NET) patients receiving PRRT. We searched the MEDLINE, Embase, Cochrane Library, and Web of Science databases up to July 2020 and used the Newcastle-Ottawa scale (NOS) criteria to assess quality/risk of bias. A total of 5091 articles were screened. In 12 studies, 1492 unique patients with NETs of different origins were included. The DCR for patients with negative ¹⁸F-FDG PET status prior to PRRT initiation was 91.9%, compared to 74.2% in patients with positive ¹⁸F-FDG PET status (random effects odds ratio (OR): 4.85; 95% CI: 2.27–10.36). Adjusted analysis of pooled hazard ratios (HRs) confirmed longer PFS and OS in NET patients receiving PRRT with negative ¹⁸F-FDG PET (random effects HR:2.45; 95%CIs: 1.48–4.04 and HR:2.25; 95% CIs:1.55–3.28, respectively). In conclusion, ¹⁸F-FDG PET imaging prior to PRRT administration appears to be a useful tool in NET patients to predict tumor response and survival outcomes and a negative FDG uptake of the tumor is associated with prolonged PFS and OS.

No inexplicable disagreements between real-world data-based nonrandomized controlled studies and randomized controlled trials were found

OBJECTIVES

We assessed disagreements between nonrandomized controlled studies based on real-world data (NRCS-RWDs) and randomized controlled trials (RCTs).

STUDY DESIGN AND SETTING

We systematically searched for studies that compared treatment effect estimates from NRCS-RWDs and RCTs on the same clinical question. We assessed the potential difference between NRCS-RWDs and RCTs related to internal and external validity. We calculated various meta-epidemiological measures to assess agreement. In case of disagreements, we tried to identify the probable causes of disagreements.

RESULTS

We included 12 studies comparing 15 treatment effect estimates of NRCS-RWDs and RCTs. There were many potential causes of disagreement. Ninety-five percent confidence intervals overlapped for 12 of 15 treatment effect estimates. Our analysis on predicted vs. observed overlap showed that there were no more disagreements than expected by chance. We observed only two substantial differences between the 15 treatment effect estimates. In both cases, we identified risk of bias in the NRCS-RWDs as the most probable cause of disagreement.

CONCLUSION

Our findings suggest that there are clinical questions where the difference in risk of bias between a well-conducted NRCS-RWD and an RCT is negligible. In our analysis, threats to external validity appeared to have no or only a weak impact on the disagreements of treatment effect estimates.

Association of a Palliative Surgical Approach to Stage IV Pancreatic Neuroendocrine Neoplasms with Survival: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

The role of primary tumor resection in patients with pancreatic neuroendocrine neoplasms (PanNENs) and unresectable distant metastases remains controversial. We aimed to evaluate the effect of palliative primary tumor resection (PPTR) on overall survival (OS) in this setting. We searched the MEDLINE, Embase, Cochrane Library, Web of Science and SCOPUS databases up to January 2020 and used the Newcastle–Ottawa scale (NOS) criteria to assess quality/risk of bias. A total of 5661 articles were screened. In 10 studies, 5551 unique patients with stage IV PanNEN and unresectable metastases were included. The five-year OS for PanNEN patients undergoing PPTR in stage IV was 56.6% vs. 23.9% in the non-surgically treated patients (random effects relative risk (RR): 1.70; 95% CI: 1.53–1.89). Adjusted analysis of pooled hazard ratios (HR) confirmed longer OS in PanNEN patients undergoing PPTR (random effects HR: 2.67; 95% CI: 2.24–3.18). Cumulative OS analysis confirmed an attenuated survival benefit over time. The complication rate of PPTR was as high as 27%. In conclusion, PPTR may exert a survival benefit in stage IV PanNEN. However, the included studies were subject to selection bias, and special consideration should be given to PPTR anchored to a multimodal treatment strategy. Further longitudinal studies are warranted, with long-term follow-up addressing the survival outcomes associated with surgery in stage IV disease.

Catalonia Suicide Risk Code Epidemiology (CSRC-Epi) study: protocol for a population-representative nested case-control study of suicide attempts in Catalonia, Spain

INTRODUCTION

Suicide attempts represent an important public health burden. Centralised electronic health record (EHR) systems have high potential to provide suicide attempt surveillance, to inform public health action aimed at reducing risk for suicide attempt in the population, and to provide data-driven clinical decision support for suicide risk assessment across healthcare settings. To exploit this potential, we designed the Catalonia Suicide Risk Code Epidemiology (CSRC-Epi) study. Using centralised EHR data from the entire public healthcare system of Catalonia, Spain, the CSRC-Epi study aims to estimate reliable suicide attempt incidence rates, identify suicide attempt risk factors and develop validated suicide attempt risk prediction tools.

METHODS AND ANALYSIS

The CSRC-Epi study is registry-based study, specifically, a two-stage exposure-enriched nested case-control study of suicide attempts during the period 2014-2019 in Catalonia, Spain. The primary study outcome consists of first and repeat attempts during the observation period. Cases will come from a case register linked to a suicide attempt surveillance programme, which offers in-depth psychiatric evaluations to all Catalan residents who present to clinical care with any suspected risk for suicide. Predictor variables will come from centralised EHR systems representing all relevant healthcare settings. The study's sampling frame will be constructed using population-representative administrative lists of Catalan residents. Inverse probability weights will restore representativeness of the original population. Analysis will include the calculation of age-standardised and sex-standardised suicide attempt incidence rates. Logistic regression will identify suicide attempt risk factors on the individual level (ie, relative risk) and the population level (ie, population attributable risk proportions). Machine learning techniques will be used to develop suicide attempt risk prediction tools.

ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION

This protocol is approved by the Parc de Salut Mar Clinical Research Ethics Committee (2017/7431/I). Dissemination will include peer-reviewed scientific publications, scientific reports for hospital and government authorities, and updated clinical guidelines.

TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER

NCT04235127.

Big Data in Cancer Research: Real-World Resources for Precision Oncology to Improve Cancer Care Delivery

In oncology, the term "big data" broadly describes the rapid acquisition and generation of massive amounts of information, typically from population cancer registries, electronic health records, or large-scale genetic sequencing studies. The challenge of using big data in cancer research lies in interdisciplinary collaboration and information processing to unify diverse data sources and provide valid analytics to harness meaningful information. This article provides an overview of how big data approaches can be applied in cancer research, and how they can be used to translate information into new ways to ultimately make informed decisions that improve cancer care and delivery.

The risk of lymph node metastases and their impact on survival in patients with appendiceal neuroendocrine neoplasms: a systematic review and meta-analysis of adult and paediatric patients

BACKGROUND

There are no clear histopathological parameters determining the risk of lymph node (LN) metastases and appropriateness of completion prophylactic right hemicolectomy (RHC) in patients with appendiceal neuroendocrine neoplasms (ANENs).

MATERIALS AND METHODS

The PubMed, Cochrane Library, Embase, Web of Science and SCOPUS databases were searched up to November 2018. Quality/risk of bias was assessed using the Newcastle-Ottawa Scale (NOS).

RESULTS

A total of 526 articles were screened. In 11 adult and 3 paediatric studies, 602 and 77 unique patients, respectively, with ANEN and undergoing RHC, were included. The rate of LN metastases for a cutoff size >10 mm was 48.6% (vs 12.1% for lesions <10 mm) among adult patients, with an odds ratio (OR) of 4.8 (95% CI, 1.5-15.8). For 20 mm size cutoff, these figures were 61% (vs 28.2% for lesions <20 mm) with an OR of 3.2 (95% CI, 1.3-7.8). Vascular-, lymph vessel- and perineural invasions were identified as predictive factors for LN metastases in adult patients. In paediatric patients, there were no strong morphological predictors for LN metastases. The 10-year disease-specific survival (DSS) for adult patients without LN metastases was 99.2% vs 95.6% in patients with LN (OR: 0.2; 95% CI, 0.02-2.4). The complication rate of prophylactic RHC was 11.4%.

CONCLUSIONS

This meta-analysis demonstrates that tumour size >20 mm as well as >10 mm and/or vascular-, lymph vessel- and perineural invasions are associated with increased risk for LN metastases in adult patients with ANEN. The prognostic value of LN positivity remains to be determined in further studies with long-term follow-up.

Gastric neuroendocrine neoplasms type 1: A systematic review and meta-analysis

BACKGROUND

To date, the histopathological parameters predicting the risk of lymph node (LN) metastases and local recurrence, associated mortality and appropriateness of endoscopic or surgical resection in patients with gastric neuroendocrine neoplasms type 1 (GNENs1) have not been fully elucidated.

AIM

To determine the rate of LN metastases and its impact in survival in patients with GNEN1 in relation to certain clinico-pathological parameters.

METHODS

The PubMed, EMBASE, Cochrane Library, Web of Science and Scopus databases were searched through January 2019. The quality of the included studies and risk of bias were assessed using the Newcastle-Ottawa Scale (NOS) in accordance with the Cochrane guidelines. A random effects model and pooled odds ratios (OR) with 95%CI were applied for the quantitative meta-analysis.

RESULTS

We screened 2933 articles. Thirteen studies with 769 unique patients with GNEN1 were included. Overall, the rate of metastasis to locoregional LNs was 3.3% (25/769). The rate of LN metastases with a cut-off size of 10 mm was 15.3% for lesions > 10 mm (vs 0.8% for lesions < 10 mm) with a random-effects OR of 10.5 (95%CI: 1.4 -80.8; heterogeneity: P = 0.126; I² = 47.5%). Invasion of the muscularis propria was identified as a predictor for LN metastases (OR: 17.2; 95%CI: 1.8-161.1; heterogeneity: P = 0.165; I² = 44.5%), whereas grade was not clearly associated with LN metastases (OR: 2; 95%CI: 0.3-11.6; heterogeneity: P = 0.304; I² = 17.4%). With regard to GNEN1 local recurrence, scarce data were available. The 5-year disease-specific survival for patients with and without LN metastases was 100% in most available studies irrespective of the type of intervention. Surgical resection was linked to a lower risk of recurrence (OR: 0.3; 95%CI: 0.1-1.1; heterogeneity: P = 0.173; I² = 31.9%). The reported complication rates of endoscopic and surgical intervention were 0.6 and 3.8%, respectively.

CONCLUSION

This meta-analysis confirms that tumor size ≥ 10 mm and invasion of the muscularis propria are linked to a higher risk of LN metastases in patients with GNEN1. Overall, the metastatic propensity of GNEN1 is low with favorable 5-year disease-specific survival rates reported; hence, no clear evidence of the prognostic value of LN positivity is available. Additionally, there is a lack of evidence supporting the prediction of local recurrence in GNEN1, even if surgery was more often a definitive treatment.

An algorithm for the classification of study designs to assess diagnostic, prognostic and predictive test accuracy in systematic reviews

Results of medical tests are the main source to inform clinical decision making. The main information to assess the usefulness of medical tests for correct discrimination of patients are accuracy measures. For the estimation of test accuracy measures, many different study designs can be used. The study design is related to the clinical question to be answered (diagnosis, prognosis, prediction), determines the accuracy measures that can be calculated and it might have an influence on risk of bias. Therefore, a clear and consistent distinction of the different study designs in systematic reviews on test accuracy studies is very important. In this paper, we propose an algorithm for the classification of study designs of test accuracy, that compare the results of an index test (the test to be evaluated) with the results of a reference test (the test whose results are considered as correct/the gold standard) studies in systematic reviews.

The Turner syndrome research registry: Creating equipoise between investigators and participants

To address knowledge gaps about Turner syndrome (TS) associated disease mechanisms, the Turner Syndrome Society of the United States created the Turner Syndrome Research Registry (TSRR), a patient-powered registry for girls and women with TS. More than 600 participants, parents or guardians completed a 33-item foundational survey that included questions about demographics, medical conditions, psychological conditions, sexuality, hormonal therapy, patient and provider knowledge about TS, and patient satisfaction. The TSRR platform is engineered to allow individuals living with rare conditions and investigators to work side-by-side. The purpose of this article is to introduce the concept, architecture, and currently available content of the TSRR, in anticipation of inviting proposals to utilize registry resources.

Comparative effectiveness of 8- and 12-week ledipasvir/sofosbuvir regimens for HCV infection

BACKGROUND

Real-world studies have aimed to compare the effects of 8- and 12-week ledipasvir/sofosbuvir regimens on sustained virological response (SVR) among HCV infection genotype-1 (HCV-1) treatment-naive patients. Nevertheless, real-world comparative effectiveness studies pose unique challenges, such as confounding by indication, that were not adequately addressed in prior studies. We thus aimed to address limitations in prior studies and compare overall- and subgroup-specific effectiveness of 8- and 12-week ledipasvir/sofosbuvir regimens among HCV-1 treatment-naive patients.

METHODS

Patients eligible for our study were aged ≥18 years and initiated 8- or 12-week ledipasvir/sofosbuvir regimens for treatment-naive HCV-1 at an urban public hospital network. We excluded patients with HIV or cirrhosis. We used marginal structural models to estimate overall and subgroup-specific risk ratios (RRs) and 95% confidence limits (CL) comparing the effect of 8- and 12-week ledipasvir/sofosbuvir regimens on 12-week SVR.

RESULTS

Our study population comprised 191 patients. Among both regimens, the majority were aged >50 years, non-Hispanic White and uninsured. The overall risk of SVR was comparable between the 8- and 12-week regimens (RR=1.01, 95% CL: 0.92, 1.11). The risk of SVR did not vary by race/ethnicity (non-Hispanic Black: RR=1.01, 95% CL: 0.84, 1.21; non-Hispanic White: RR=1.01, 95% CL: 0.89, 1.04).

CONCLUSIONS

Our real-world results suggest that 8- and 12-week ledipasvir/sofosbuvir have comparable effects on SVR among HCV-1 patients without cirrhosis or HIV. In addition, the comparable effectiveness of 8- and 12-week regimens among non-Hispanic Black individuals adds to the growing body of evidence that supports the removal of race-based treatment guidelines.

Ledipasvir/Sofosbuvir Effectively Treats Hepatitis C Virus Infections in an Underserved Population

BACKGROUND

Underserved populations have an unequal burden of HCV infections and poor outcomes with interferon-based treatments. Direct-acting antivirals have the potential to reduce these inequalities.

AIMS

We aimed to estimate sustained virologic response (SVR) following treatment with sofosbuvir-based regimens for HCV infections among underserved individuals and summarize the frequency of SVR across published studies of underserved populations.

METHODS

We used data from a clinical cohort of patients aged ≥ 18 years who initiated sofosbuvir-based regimens for HCV infection between February 2014 and June 2016 at an urban public hospital network that serves as the healthcare safety-net for Tarrant County, Texas. We estimated SVR with corresponding 95% confidence limits (CL). In addition, we systematically reviewed the evidence to identify other studies of direct-acting antivirals among underserved populations.

RESULTS

Our study population comprised 435 patients. The majority of patients were aged ≥ 50 years (76%), male (52%), non-Hispanic White (54%), HCV genotype 1 (79%) and treated with ledipasvir/sofosbuvir (69%). Overall SVR was 89% (95% CL 86, 92%) and highest for ledipasvir/sofosbuvir (SVR = 95%, 95% CL 92, 97%). The reported SVR following direct-acting antivirals among 837 underserved patients from three other studies ranged between 90 and 99%.

CONCLUSIONS

Our results suggest that direct-acting antivirals, particularly ledipasvir/sofosbuvir, are generally effective for achieving SVR among underserved patients with HCV infections and may help reduce inequalities in HCV prevalence and outcomes for this vulnerable population.