All-oral direct-acting antiviral therapy in HCV-advanced liver disease is effective in real-world practice: observations through HCV-TARGET database

Evaluation of patients treated with direct-acting anti-viral therapy for chronic hepatitis C and their risk of hepatocellular carcinoma in Hong Kong

BACKGROUND & AIM

To evaluate the risk of early hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) in chronic hepatitis C patients treated with direct-acting antivirals (DAAs) in Hong Kong, as it has not been studied before in this locality.

METHODS

Three hundred thirty-three consecutive chronic hepatitis C patients treated with DAAs from two hospitals over the past 6 years were identified. Kaplan-Meier method was used to calculate cumulative HCC incidence. Cox regression was used to identify factors associated with HCC development.

RESULTS

During a median follow-up of 23.4 months after DAA started, 15 (5.4%, 95% CI 3.3-8.7%) out of 279 total included patients developed HCC. The overall sustained virological response (SVR) rate was 98.9%. The 1-year cumulative incidence for de-novo HCC and HCC recurrence were 0.8 and 30.9%, respectively (log-rank test p < 0.001). The 1-year cumulative HCC incidence for patients without and with cirrhosis were 0.7 and 5.1%, respectively (log-rank test p = 0.036). Univariate analysis showed that significant factors associated with HCC after DAA were: history of treated HCC, cirrhosis, evidence of portal hypertension, higher AFP at the start or end of DAA therapy, higher bilirubin, lower platelets, lower albumin, and older age. From receiver operating characteristic curve analysis, the optimal cut-off level of AFP for predicting HCC was 10.5 ng/mL at the start and 5.6 ng/mL at the end of DAA therapy.

CONCLUSIONS

The risk of early HCC recurrence remains high despite achieving SVR following DAA therapy, whereas the risk of early de-novo HCC occurence is low. AFP levels, both at the start and end of DAA therapy, can be useful in stratifying risks of HCC development.

Controversies of Direct-Acting Antivirals in Hepatocellular Carcinoma

Therapy for chronic hepatitis C virus infection with direct-acting antiviral agents (DAAs) has been highly successful in achieving sustained virological response (SVR) with associated improvements in liver dysfunction, liver-related mortality, and transplant-free survival. There is a high risk of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) with an annual incidence of 2% to 4% in patients with cirrhosis. Following DAAs treatment and achievement of SVR, the risk of incident and recurrent HCC drops significantly over time, with risk associated with demographic and liver disease-related factors. Several risk factors have been described including age, male, diabetes comorbidities, alcohol abuse, hepatitis B virus or human immunodeficiency virus-coinfection, and advanced liver disease or increased liver fibrosis. Recurrence risk after DAA therapy has been associated with baseline tumor burden, with increased risk with larger lesion(s), multifocal disease, elevated alpha-fetoprotein level, treatment type (curative vs palliative), and shorter interval between HCC complete response and DAA initiation. Overall, due to the heterogeneity among individual patient data and lack of adequately controlled data, there are no conclusive statements that can be drawn that DAAs exposure is directly associated with HCC occurrence or recurrence. However, the best available data suggest a decreased risk of incident HCC with DAA therapy and no increased risk of recurrence with DAAs after complete tumor response.

Global treatment rate and barriers to direct-acting antiviral therapy: A systematic review and meta-analysis of 146 studies and 1 760 352 hepatitis C virus patients

BACKGROUND

Global data on the treatment rate with direct-acting antivirals (DAAs) for chronic hepatitis C (CHC) are sparse. We aimed to evaluate the CHC treatment rate and barriers to treatment in the DAA era.

METHODS

We searched PubMed, EMBASE and Cochrane from inception to 5 August 2021, for relevant articles. Patients treated with DAAs without interferon (IFN) therapy were categorized as IFN-free DAAs. Patients receiving DAA with IFN or unclear IFN status were categorized as DAA/IFN.

RESULTS

We identified and analysed data from 146 studies (1 760 352 CHC patients). DAA/IFN treatment rate was 16.0% (95% CI: 9.9-23.3, 49 studies, 886 535 patients). IFN-free DAA treatment rate was 52.3% (95% CI: 46.2-58.4, 123 studies, 1 276 754 patients): 45.4% in North America, 64.2% in South America (1 study), 90.4% in Africa (most data from Egypt), 54.4% in Europe, 60.7% in Australia and 60.5% in Asia, (p < .0001); 49% with hepatitis B co-infection and 32.3% with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Treatment was not a priority in 22.8% of patients in Europe and 16.7% in Australia, compared to only 4.8% in North America and 2.1% in Asia (p < .0001). Poor adherence to clinical follow-up was the cause of no treatment in 74.7% of patients in Australia, 37.0% in North America, 7.9% in Europe and 14.3% in Asia (p < .0001).

CONCLUSION

Though a marked improvement from IFN/DAA, the treatment rate with IFN-free DAA remains suboptimal (52.3% overall, 32.3% in HCC patients). Non-adherence to clinical follow-up and lack of disease awareness were treatment barriers.

Effect of Direct-Acting Antiviral Agents on Gastroesophageal Varices in Patients with Hepatitis C Virus-Related Cirrhosis

Aim: In patients with hepatitis C virus-related liver cirrhosis (LC) who achieve sustained virological responses (SVRs) through treatment with direct-acting antiviral agents (DAAs), it remains unclear whether there are improvements in gastroesophageal varices (GEVs) and portal hypertension. We investigated changes in liver function and GEVs that occurred after DAA therapy. Materials and Methods: We evaluated the medical records of 195 patients with hepatitis C virus-related LC who received DAAs. A total of 171 patients achieved SVRs, among whom 36 had GEVs before or after receiving DAA therapy. The liver function, fibrosis, and GEVs were re-evaluated every 6 months after receiving DAA therapy. The risk factors for progressive GEVs were investigated. Results: DAA therapy resulted in improvements in liver function (indicated by aspartate transaminase, alanine transaminase, and serum albumin levels) and fibrosis (indicated by type IV collagen levels and the Fibrosis-4 index). After receiving DAA therapy, 27 patients had stable GEVs and 9 had progressive GEVs. With respect to GEV grades before DAA therapy, there was a significant difference between patients with stable and progressive GEVs (p = 0.027). Presence of grade-2 GEVs before starting DAA therapy was a risk factor for GEV progression (odds ratio: 5.83; p = 0.04). Patients with grade-2 GEVs had significantly shorter progression-free periods than those with grade < 2 GEVs (p = 0.025). Conclusions: DAA therapy does not ameliorate GEVs. Furthermore, grade-2 GEVs can worsen after DAA therapy. Therefore, patients with GEVs of grades ≥ 2 should undergo endoscopic surveillance after receiving DAAs.

Safety and efficacy of sofosbuvir/ledipasvir and sofosbuvir/daclatasvir in the treatment of hepatitis C in patients with decompensated cirrhosis

BACKGROUND

Hepatitis C virus (HCV)-related decompensated cirrhosis is a severe life-threatening illness. The safety of direct-acting antivirals (DAAs) has opened a gate of hope for that subgroup of patients who were previously contraindicated for interferon therapy.

OBJECTIVE

We aimed at the investigation of the safety and efficacy of different DAAs regimens in the treatment of HCV-related decompensated cirrhosis patients, to determine sustained virological response (SVR)12 rates and to analyze the factors associated with response.

METHODS

A retrospective, single-center study including HCV-related decompensated cirrhosis patients who received DAAs. Demographic, laboratory and clinical data were analyzed. The SVR12 rate was the primary outcome measure. Secondary outcomes included the predictors of response, changes in the baseline model for end-stage liver disease and child-turcotte-pugh (CTP) scores, and fibroindices (APRI and fibrosis-4 index) at 12 weeks after treatment.

RESULTS

In total, 145 eligible patients (141 with CTP class B and 4 with class C) were enrolled in this study. SVR12 was achieved by 88.06% (118/134) of efficacy population on different DAAs regimens, Treatment was discontinued in 11 patients because of severe side effects without any deaths. Younger age showed a significant positive association with SVR12.

CONCLUSIONS

DAAs can be used for the treatment of HCV-related decompensated liver disease, with acceptable SVR12 rates and safety profiles.

Role of Serum Vitamin D, Interleukin 13, and microRNA-135a in Hepatocellular Carcinoma and Treatment Failure in Egyptian HCV-Infected Patients Receiving Direct Antiviral Agents

Direct-acting antivirals (DAAs) are used for hepatitis C virus (HCV) treatment. However, treatment failure and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) development following treatment was reported. In this study, we assessed the role of serum vitamin D, interleukin 13 (IL-13), and microRNA-135a in the prediction of treatment failure with DAA and HCC development among Egyptian HCV-infected patients. A total of 950 patients with HCV-related chronic liver disease underwent DAA treatment. Before DAAs, serum vitamin D and IL-13 were determined by ELISA, and gene expression of miRNA-135a was assessed in serum by real-time PCR. The predictive abilities of these markers were determined using the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve. Sustained virological response (SVR) was achieved in 92.6% of HCV-infected patients (responders). High viral load, IL-13, miRNA-135a, and low vitamin D levels were associated with treatment failure and HCC development. HCC development was recorded in non-responders, but not in the responders (35.7% vs. 0% p < 0.001). In conclusion: serum IL-13, Vitamin D, and miRNA-135a could be potential biomarkers in monitoring DAA treatment and HCC prediction. DAAs-induced SVR may decrease the incidence of HCC.

Uptake of interferon-free DAA therapy among HCV-infected decompensated cirrhosis patients and evidence for decreased mortality

Interferon-free DAA therapies have recently been licensed for patients infected with hepatitis C virus (HCV) who have decompensated cirrhosis (DC). Our aim was to describe factors associated with uptake of IFN-free DAAs in DC patients and to compare mortality risk and hospital admission rates between pre-DAA and DAA eras. This observational study used record-linkage between Scotland's HCV Clinical Database and national inpatient hospitalization and mortality registers. For the DAA uptake analysis, the study population (n = 297) was restricted to patients alive on 1 November 2014, and Cox regression was used to estimate uptake associated with various covariates. For the Cox regression of mortality comparing pre-DAA and DAA eras, the study population (n = 624) comprised those diagnosed with DC in 2005-2018; follow-up was censored at two years. DAA uptake was 63% overall and was significantly higher for treatment-experienced patients (adjusted hazard ratio (aHR) = 1.64, 95% CI:1.14-2.34), genotype 1 vs. other genotypes (aHR = 1.55. 95% CI:1.15-2.10) and lower for persons diagnosed with DC pre-2014 (0.47, 95% CI:0.33-0.68) and in Greater Glasgow (0.64, 95% CI:0.47-0.88). The intention-to-treat SVR rate was 89% (95% CI:83-93%). All-cause and liver-related mortality risk were significantly reduced among patients diagnosed with DC in the DAA era (November 2014-December 2018) compared with the pre-DAA era (2005-October 2014) (aHRs of 0.68, 95% CI:0.49-0.93; 0.69, 95% CI:0.50-0.95, respectively); in contrast, hospital admission rates were higher in the DAA era (aRR = 1.14, 95% CI:1.04-1.26). The majority of HCV-infected DC patients engaged with specialist services can be treated with IFN-free DAAs. Improved survival among patients diagnosed with DC in the DAA era supports the beneficial impact of IFN-free therapies among those with advanced liver disease.

Real-Life Effectiveness and Safety of Sofosbuvir-Based Therapy in Genotype 2 Chronic Hepatitis C Patients in South Korea, with Emphasis on the Ribavirin Dose

Background/Aims

Sofosbuvir (SOF)-based therapy has been used in Korean patients with chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection since January 2016. This study aimed to investigate the real-life effectiveness and safety of SOF-based therapy in genotype 2 HCV infection.

Methods

From January to December 2016, 458 genotype 2 HCV-infected patients who received ≥1 dose of SOF-based therapy were consecutively enrolled in seven tertiary hospitals. Sustained virologic response (SVR) rates and safety were determined by intention- to-treat (ITT) and per-protocol (PP) analyses.

Results

The mean age of the patients was 61.0 years; 183 (40%) were male, and 13.1% showed a high viral load (>6,000,000 IU/ mL). Among the 378 treatment-naïve patients, the SVR rates were 94.2% (ITT) and 96.7% (PP). Among the 80 treatmentexperienced patients, the SVR rates were 96.3% (ITT) and 98.7% (PP). Patients with a relatively high fibrosis-4 index score (>3.25) had similar SVR rates to those with a relatively low score (p=0.756). A total of 314 patients (68.6%) were treated with a reduced ribavirin dose at the prescriber's discretion, but they showed similar SVR rates to those treated with the weight-based dose (ITT: 95.5% and 92.3%, PP: 97.4% and 96.3%, respectively). Adverse events were observed in 191 patients (41.7%), including 86 (18.8%) with anemia, but only one (0.2%) discontinued antiviral therapy due to nausea.

Conclusions

SOF-based therapy showed high real-life efficacy and tolerability in Korean patients with genotype 2 chronic HCV infection, regardless of previous antiviral treatment experience and fibrosis score. A reduced ribavirin dose can be considered in this patient cohort.

Real-world effectiveness and safety of direct-acting antivirals in patients with cirrhosis and history of hepatic decompensation: Epi-Ter2 Study

BACKGROUND AND AIMS

The aim of this study was to assess the real-life effectiveness and safety of direct acting antivirals (DAAs) in patients with cirrhosis and history of hepatic decompensation compared to those with compensated cirrhosis.

METHOD

Data of patients treated with DAAs and included in the EpiTer-2 database (N = 10 152) were collected retrospectively. The primary endpoint was sustained viral response (SVR) at 12 weeks posttreatment. Patients were also evaluated in terms of liver-related adverse events and treatment modification/discontinuation.

RESULTS

The overall SVR rate was 91.4% in the intent to treat (ITT) analysis and 95.2% in the per-protocol (PP) analysis (P < .001). Patients with decompensated cirrhosis had lower SVR rates compared to those with compensated cirrhosis in ITT analysis (86.4% vs 92.0%, P < .001), while not in PP analysis (92.9% vs 95.5%, P > .05). Adverse events (AE) occurred 45.6% and 29.3% of patients with decompensated and compensated cirrhosis (P < .001). Patients with decompensated cirrhosis were at higher risk of death (5.4% vs 0.9%; P < .0001) or liver decompensation (21.5% vs 1.3%; P < .0001). Treatment with protease inhibitors was not associated with hepatic decompensation (P = .3). Only 82.6% of patients with decompensated cirrhosis completed DAA treatment (vs 92.8% in compensated cirrhotics; P < .0001).

CONCLUSION

Despite higher frequency of AE and treatment modifications, once completed, DAAs yield comparable results for patients with decompensated and compensated cirrhosis. High rate of serious adverse events in patients with advanced liver disease treated with PI may not be related to the detrimental effect of the medications, but rather to the disease itself.

Tertiary Prevention of HCC in Chronic Hepatitis B or C Infected Patients

Simple Summary

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) recurrence is the major obstacle concerning patients’ survival. Tertiary prevention by antiviral therapies could reduce HCC recurrence rate in both chronic hepatitis B virus (HBV) or hepatitis C virus (HCV) infected patients. In chronic hepatitis B (CHB) patients, nucleos(t)ide analogues (Nuc) provide a more effective HCC tertiary prevention effect than an interferon (IFN)-based regimen. In chronic hepatitis C (CHC) patients, the tertiary prevention effect by direct acting antiviral agents (DAAs) was reported non-inferior to that by IFN-based therapy. Chronic hepatitis C patients left untreated had the worst survival benefit as well as shorted recurrence-free interval than those treated by either type of antiviral regimen. Although the risk of HCC recurrence could only be decreased but not diminished by antiviral therapies due to host and microenvironmental factors beyond virus infection, antiviral therapy helps to preserve and improve liver function which makes multi-modality anticancer treatment feasible to improve survival.

Abstract

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) ranks as a leading cause of common cancer and cancer-related death. The major etiology of HCC is due to chronic hepatitis virus including HBV and HCV infections. Scheduled HCC surveillance in high risk populations improves the early detection rate and the feasibility of curative treatment. However, high HCC recurrence rate still accounts for the poor prognosis of HCC patients. In this article, we critically review the pathogenesis of viral hepatitis-related hepatocellular carcinoma and the evidence of tertiary prevention efficacy by current available antiviral treatment, and discuss the knowledge gap in viral hepatitis-related HCC tertiary prevention.

Clinical outcome and hemodynamic changes following HCV eradication with oral antiviral therapy in patients with clinically significant portal hypertension

BACKGROUND & AIMS

Clinically significant portal hypertension (CSPH), defined as a hepatic venous pressure gradient (HVPG) ≥10 mmHg, persists 24 weeks after sustained virological response (SVR) in up to 78% of patients with HCV-related cirrhosis treated with direct-acting antivirals. These patients remain at risk of decompensation. However, long-term paired clinical and hemodynamic data are not available for this population.

METHODS

We conducted a prospective multicenter study in 226 patients with HCV-related cirrhosis and CSPH who achieved SVR after antiviral therapy. Patients with CSPH 24 weeks after end of treatment (SVR24) were offered another hemodynamic assessment 96 weeks after end of treatment (SVR96).

RESULTS

All patients were clinically evaluated. Out of 176 patients with CSPH at SVR24, 117 (66%) underwent an HVPG measurement at SVR96. At SVR96, 55/117 (47%) patients had HVPG <10 mmHg and 53% had CSPH (65% if we assume persistence of CSPH in all 59 non-evaluated patients). The proportion of high-risk patients (HVPG ≥16 mmHg) diminished from 41% to 15%. Liver stiffness decreased markedly after SVR (median decrease 10.5 ± 13 kPa) but did not correlate with HVPG changes (30% of patients with liver stiffness measurement <13.6 kPa still had CSPH). Seventeen (7%) patients presented with de novo/additional clinical decompensation, which was independently associated with baseline HVPG ≥16 mmHg and history of ascites.

CONCLUSIONS

Patients achieving SVR experienced a progressive reduction in portal pressure during follow-up. However, CSPH may persist in up to 53-65% of patients at SVR96, indicating persistent risk of decompensation. History of ascites and high-risk HVPG values identified patients at higher risk of de novo or further clinical decompensation.

LAY SUMMARY

As a major complication of cirrhosis, clinically significant portal hypertension (CSPH) is associated with adverse clinical outcomes. Herein, we show that CSPH persists at 96 weeks in just over half of patients with HCV-related cirrhosis, despite HCV elimination by direct-acting antivirals. Despite viral cure, patients with CSPH at the start of antiviral treatment remain at long-term risk of hepatic complications and should be managed accordingly.

The hepatitis C virus care cascade in the New York City jail system during the direct acting antiviral treatment era, 2014-2017

BACKGROUND

High patient turnover presents challenges and opportunity to provide hepatitis C virus (HCV) care in US jails (remand facilities). This study describes the HCV care cascade in the New York City (NYC) jail system during the direct-acting antiviral (DAA) treatment era.

METHODS

Patients admitted to the NYC jail system from January 2014 through December 2017 were included in this retrospective cohort analysis. We describe rates of screening, diagnosis, linkage to jail-based care, and treatment among the overall cohort, and among subgroups with long jail stays (≥120 days) or frequent stays (≥10 admissions). The study protocol was approved by a third-party institutional review board (BRANY, Lake Success, NY).

FINDINGS

Among the 121,371 patients in our analysis, HCV screening was performed in 40,219 (33%), 4665 (12%) of whom were viremic, 1813 (39%) seen by an HCV clinician in jail, and 248 (5% of viremic patients) started on treatment in jail. Having a long stay (adjusted risk ratio [aRR] 8·11, 95% confidence interval [CI] 6·98, 9·42) or frequent stays (aRR 1·51, 95% CI 1·04, 2·18) were significantly associated with being seen by an HCV clinician. Patients with long stays had a higher rate of treatment (14% of viremic patients). Sustained virologic response at 12 weeks was achieved in 147/164 (90%) of patients with available virologic data.

INTERPRETATION

Jail health systems can reach large numbers of HCV-infected individuals. The high burden of HCV argues for universal screening in jail settings. Length of stay was strongly associated with being seen by an HCV clinician in jail. Treatment is feasible among those with longer lengths of stay.

FUNDING

None.

DAA therapy and long-term hepatic function in advanced/decompensated cirrhosis: Real-world experience from HCV-TARGET cohort

BACKGROUND & AIMS

Direct-acting antiviral (DAA) therapy is used in patients with HCV-related decompensated cirrhosis with the expectation of improving hepatic function. However, little is known about the long-term hepatic benefit of successful antiviral treatment.

METHODS

Patients with advanced/decompensated cirrhosis (model for end-stage liver disease [MELD] ≥10), in whom NS5A-containing DAA therapy was initiated prior to September 2018, were included (from the HCV-TARGET cohort). Treatment outcomes and the impact of treatment on short-term and long-term hepatic function were examined.

RESULTS

A total of 642 patients were analyzed. The mean age was 60 years, 68% were male. The median baseline MELD was 12 (range 10-39) and 64% had prior decompensation. Among patients with available virologic outcomes, 90.5% achieved a sustained virologic response at 12 weeks (SVR12). Eighty (24%) patients achieved a clinically significant decrease in MELD by ≥3 points during short-term follow-up (9-26 weeks after the end of treatment). However, in long-term follow-up (median of 4 years after treatment), mean changes in MELD (-0.30 points), total bilirubin (+0.23 mg/dl) and albumin (+0.36 g/dl) were marginal. Fifty-one patients died and 22 underwent liver transplant. In long-term follow-up, a clinically meaningful decrease in MELD of ≥3 occurred in 29% and a final MELD score of <10 was achieved in 25%.

CONCLUSION

In a large real-world experience of patients with advanced/decompensated HCV-related cirrhosis treated with DAAs, there were only marginal improvements in MELD, total bilirubin, or albumin at long-term follow-up (after achieving SVR12). These patients may remain at high risk of decompensation and must continue to be closely monitored. CLINICALTRIALS.GOV: NCT01474811.

LAY SUMMARY

Hepatitis C virus infection can now be cured with medications, even in patients who have advanced scarring of the liver (cirrhosis). In this study, we evaluated whether liver function improves or deteriorates in the long-term, following successful treatment of hepatitis C in patients with cirrhosis. We found that overall liver function was relatively stable with only 29% of patients achieving a clinically meaningful improvement in liver function, and we therefore believe that these patients require ongoing monitoring.

Outcomes of Hepatitis C Virus Treatment in the New York City Jail Population: Successes and Challenges Facing Scale up of Care

Background

The population detained in the New York City (NYC) jail system bears a high burden of hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection. Challenges to scaling up treatment include short and unpredictable lengths of stay. We report on the clinical outcomes of direct-acting antiviral (DAA) treatment delivered by NYC Health + Hospitals/Correctional Health Services in NYC jails from 2014 to 2017.

Methods

We performed a retrospective observational cohort study of HCV patients with detectable HCV ribonucleic acid treated with DAA therapy while in NYC jails. Some patients initiated treatment in jail, whereas others initiated treatment in the community and were later incarcerated. Our primary outcome was sustained virologic response at 12 weeks (SVR12).

Results

There were 269 patients included in our cohort, with 181 (67%) initiating treatment in jail and 88 (33%) continuing treatment started in the community. The SVR12 virologic outcome data were available for 195 (72%) individuals. Of these, 172 (88%) achieved SVR12. Patients who completed treatment in jail were more likely to achieve SVR12 relative to those who were released on treatment (adjusted risk ratio, 2.93; 95% confidence interval, 1.35-6.34). Of those who achieved SVR12, 114 (66%) had a subsequent viral load checked. We detected recurrent viremia in 18 (16%) of these individuals, which corresponded to 10.6 cases per 100 person-years of follow-up.

Conclusions

Hepatitis C virus treatment with DAA therapy is effective in a jail environment. Future work should address challenges related to discharging patients while they are on treatment, loss to follow-up, and a high incidence of probable reinfection.

Liver-related effects of chronic hepatitis C antiviral treatment

More than five years ago, the treatment of hepatitis C virus infection was revolutionized with the introduction of all-oral direct-acting antiviral (DAA) drugs. They proved highly efficient in curing patients with chronic hepatitis C (CHC), including patients with cirrhosis. The new DAA treatments were alleged to induce significant improvements in clinical outcome and prognosis, but the exact cause of the expected benefit was unclear. Further, little was known about how the underlying liver disease would be affected during and after viral clearance. In this review, we describe and discuss the liver-related effects of the new treatments in regards to both pathophysiological aspects, such as macrophage activation, and the time-dependent effects of therapy, with specific emphasis on inflammation, structural liver changes, and liver function, as these factors are all related to morbidity and mortality in CHC patients. It seems clear that antiviral therapy, especially the achievement of a sustained virologic response has several beneficial effects on liver-related parameters in CHC patients with advanced liver fibrosis or cirrhosis. There seems to be a time-dependent effect of DAA therapy with viral clearance and the resolution of liver inflammation followed by more discrete changes in structural liver lesions. These improvements lead to favorable effects on liver function, followed by an improvement in cognitive dysfunction and portal hypertension. Overall, the data provide knowledge on the several beneficial effects of DAA therapy on liver-related parameters in CHC patients suggesting short- and long-term improvements in the underlying disease with the promise of an improved long-term prognosis.

Serum MicroRNA Signatures in Recovery From Acute and Chronic Liver Injury and Selection for Liver Transplantation

We previously demonstrated a distinct hepatic microRNA (miRNA) signature (down-regulation of miRNA-23a, -150, - 200b, -503, and -663 and up-regulation of miRNA-20a) is associated with successful regeneration in auxiliary liver transplantation (ALT). This study aimed to evaluate whether the serum expression of this regeneration-linked miRNA signature is associated with clinical outcomes in acute and chronic liver disease. These were represented by patients with acetaminophen-induced acute liver failure (ALF; n = 18) and patients with hepatitis C virus (HCV) undergoing treatment with direct-acting antivirals (n = 56), respectively. Patients were grouped depending on their clinical outcome. Global serum miRNA expression was analyzed using polymerase chain reaction (PCR) arrays and selected miRNA expression using targeted PCR. We demonstrate that specific regeneration-linked miRNAs discriminate outcomes in both clinical scenarios. We further show that miRNA-20a, -23a, -150, -200b, -503, and -663 undergo concordant changes in expression in 3 distinct clinical settings: liver regeneration accompanying successful ALT, clinical recovery after ALF, and clinical recompensation after cure of HCV. This miRNA signature represents a potentially novel biomarker to predict outcome and optimize patient selection for liver transplantation in both acute and chronic liver disease.

Effectiveness of Glecaprevir/Pibrentasvir for Hepatitis C: Real-World Experience and Clinical Features of Retreatment Cases

Glecaprevir/pibrentasvir (G/P) are direct-acting antivirals (DAAs) that achieve a high sustained virological response (SVR) rate for hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection. We investigated G/P effectiveness for HCV patients based on real-world experience and the clinical features of retreatment cases. HCV patients (n = 182) were compared for clinical features and outcomes between first treatment (n = 159) and retreatment (n = 23) G/P groups. Overall, 77 patients (42.3%) were male, the median age was 68 years, and 86/66/1/4 cases had genotype 1/2/1 + 2/3, respectively. An SVR was achieved in 97.8% (178/182) of cases by intention-to-treat analysis and 99.4% (178/179) of cases by per-protocol analysis. There were no remarkable differences between the first treatment and retreatment groups for male (42.8% vs. 39.1%, p = 0.70), median age (68 vs. 68 years, p = 0.36), prior hepatocellular carcinoma (5.8% vs. 8.7%, p = 0.59), or the fibrosis markers AST-to-platelet ratio index (APRI) (0.5 vs. 0.5, p = 0.80) and fibrosis-4 (FIB-4) index (2.2 vs. 2.6, p = 0.59). The retreatment group had a significantly more frequent history of interferon treatment (12.3% vs. 52.2%, p < 0.01) and the Y93H mutation (25.0% vs. 64.7%, p = 0.02). The number of retreatment patients who had experienced 3, 2, and 1 DAA treatment failures was 1, 3, and 19, respectively, all of whom ultimately achieved an SVR by G/P treatment. In conclusion, G/P was effective and safe for both HCV first treatment and retreatment cases despite the retreatment group having specific resistance mutations for other prior DAAs. As G/P treatment failure has been reported for P32 deletions, clinicians should consider resistance mutations during DAA selection.

Real-world experiences with direct-acting antiviral agents for chronic hepatitis C treatment

As direct-acting antiviral (DAA) agents become more readily available for the treatment of chronic hepatitis C, it is important to understand real-world treatment experiences. In order to assess the effectiveness of DAA regimens and factors that influence sustained virologic response (SVR) rates in the Veterans Affairs healthcare system, we retrospectively identified veterans with chronic hepatitis C who were treated with DAAs from January 2014 to June 2015. We determined SVR rates and collected data on demographics, genotype (GT), previous interferon-based treatment, antiviral regimens, and co-morbidities (HIV, prior solid organ transplant, haemodialysis) for analysis. Of 15 720 veterans, the majority were infected with genotype 1a (GT1a, 60.5%). Excluding the special populations, the overall cohort SVR rate was 92%. Compared to treatment-experienced patients, treatment-naïve patients had significantly higher SVR rates (90% vs 92%, P = .006). Subgroups associated with lower likelihood of achieving SVR-included African Americans (OR 0.79, 95% CI 0.69-0.91), GT3 (OR 0.65, CI 0.50-0.86), and cirrhosis (OR 0.91, CI 0.84-0.99) or decompensated cirrhosis (ascites: OR 0.78, CI 0.67-0.91, variceal bleed: OR 0.75, CI 0.57-0.99). The only treatment regimen independently associated with lower SVR rates was SOF+RBV+IFN (OR 0.65, CI 0.50-0.84). Special populations achieved high SVR rates: HIV 92%, haemodialysis 93%, liver transplant 96% and renal transplant 94%. In conclusion, overall SVR rates were comparable to those reported in clinical trials and carried over to historically more difficult-to-treat patients. Several patient- and treatment-related factors were identified as independent predictors of treatment failure and suggest subgroups to target for efforts to improve therapeutic strategies.

Time-dependent improvement of liver inflammation, fibrosis and metabolic liver function after successful direct-acting antiviral therapy of chronic hepatitis C

Sofosbuvir-based direct-acting antiviral (DAA) therapy generally cures chronic hepatitis C (CHC) infections, however, the effects on the underlying liver disease and the potential rate of recovery are unclear. We aimed to investigate the effects of DAA therapy on liver inflammation, fibrosis, metabolic function and cognitive function and the time course in CHC patients with advanced liver disease. Seventy-one CHC patients with advanced liver disease were studied before, during and one year after successful sofosbuvir-based DAA therapy. Liver inflammation was assessed by plasma sCD163 and sMR levels (ELISA), fibrosis by liver stiffness (transient elastography), function by galactose elimination capacity (GEC) and cognitive performance by continuous reaction time (CRT). During DAA therapy, we observed a rapid sCD163 decline from baseline to end of treatment (6.9 vs 3.8 mg/L, P < .0001), whereas the change in sMR was more subtle (0.37 vs 0.30 mg/L, P < .0001). Liver stiffness decreased by 20% at end of treatment (17.8 vs 14.3 kPa, P < .0001), together suggesting rapid resolution of liver inflammation. One year after treatment, liver stiffness decreased by an additional 15% (P < .0001), suggestive of fibrosis regression. The GEC improved at follow-up (all: 1.74 vs 1.98 mmol/min), mainly at 12 weeks post-treatment, both in patients with cirrhosis (n = 56) and those with advanced liver fibrosis (n = 15) (P < .001). The CRT improved at one-year follow-up (1.86 vs 2.09, P = .04). In conclusion, successful DAA therapy of CHC proves beneficial in advanced liver disease, with an initial rapid resolution of liver inflammation and a subsequent gradual but steady improvement in liver fibrosis, metabolic liver function and reaction time.

Pangenotypic direct acting antivirals for the treatment of chronic hepatitis C virus infection: A systematic literature review and meta-analysis

BACKGROUND

Recent approval and adoption of pangenotypic direct acting antivirals (DAAs) necessitated a revision of the 2015 World Health Organization guidelines for the management of persons with hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection.

METHODS

We searched MEDLINE, EMBASE, CENTRAL, and relevant conference proceedings to identify randomized and non-randomized trials, as well as prospective observational studies of DAAs. The proportions of persons with events were pooled for sustained virological response at 12 weeks post-treatment (SVR12), discontinuations due to adverse events (DAEs), serious adverse events (SAEs), and all-cause mortality. Analyses were stratified by HCV genotype and antiviral treatment experience, with subgroup analyses based on presence of cirrhosis and HIV-HCV coinfection.

FINDINGS

The evidence base consisted of 238 publications describing 142 studies. In the overall analysis, which included all persons irrespective of treatment experience or comorbidities, the pooled proportion achieving SVR12 exceeded 0.94 for all pangenotypic regimens across genotypes 1, 2, and 4. Some heterogeneity may have led to lower SVR rates in persons with genotype 3 infection. High SVR12 (>0.90) was observed in persons with genotype 1 infection with cirrhosis, though evidence varied and was limited for genotypes 2-4. Evidence was sparse for persons with HIV-HCV coinfection. All regimens were associated with small proportions of persons with DAEs, SAEs, or all-cause mortality.

INTERPRETATION

Based on this and other supporting evidence, the WHO issued updated guidelines with a conditional recommendation, based on moderate quality evidence, for the use of pangenotypic DAA regimens for persons with chronic HCV infection aged 18 years and older (July 2018).

FUNDING

This study was funded by the World Health Organization.

Integrated Care for the Use of Direct-acting Antivirals in Patients With Chronic Hepatitis C and Substance Use Disorder

OBJECTIVES

Since little is currently known about predictors of response to direct-acting antiviral agents (DAAs) in people who inject drugs, we undertook an analysis of patients attending a hepatitis clinic with addiction services (outpatient clinics and inpatient services) to examine the outcomes associated with the treatment of difficult-to-manage patients with substance use. Our experience was based on integrated care.

METHOD

A retrospective analysis was undertaken of 50 patients with hepatitis C virus (HCV) and a history of addiction who received treatment with DAAs, according to European guidelines. These regimens were sofosbuvir/ledipasvir for 8 weeks (n = 3), sofosbuvir/ledipasvir ± ribavirin for 12 weeks (n = 19), sofosbuvir/daclatasvir for 12 weeks (n = 20), sofosbuvir/simeprevir (n = 1), or sofosbuvir/daclatasvir for 24 weeks (n = 7). Characteristics of patients who did versus did not achieve a sustained virologic response (SVR) 12 weeks after treatment were compared by univariate analysis.

RESULTS

Forty-two patients (84%) were male; mean age was 46.2 ± 7.3 years. Genotypes were 1 (n = 21), 2 (n = 4), 3 (n = 18), 4 (n = 6), or 6 (n = 1). Most patients were treatment-naïve (n = 38). Five patients had coinfection with human immunodeficiency virus (n = 4) or hepatitis B (n = 1), 28 (56%) had evidence of cirrhosis on FibroScan (>12.5 kPa), and 34 (68%) were receiving opioid substitution therapy. Psychiatric disease, illicit drug use, unemployment, and homelessness/precarious housing were common. Forty-five patients (90%) achieved SVR, 2 were lost to follow-up, and 3 had treatment relapse.

CONCLUSIONS

SVR was not significantly associated with sociodemographic or virological characteristics, treatment, social environment, alcohol/drug use, and adherence. Although adherence was slightly worse than in "usual" patients, it did not affect the SVR rate. In these difficult-to-manage patients with HCV and substance use disorder, the real-world SVR rate (90%) was similar to that in nonaddicted populations.

B.A.R.C.O.S. (Brazilian Argentine Hepatitis C Collaborative Observational Study): Effectiveness and clinical outcomes of HCV treatment with daclatasvir and sofosbuvir with or without ribavirin

Real-world data evaluating the effectiveness of direct-acting antivirals (DAAs) in hepatitis C virus (HCV) treatment have been reported from different regions. Our aim was to evaluate the effectiveness and clinical outcomes of daclatasvir (DCV) and sofosbuvir (SOF) ± ribavirin (RBV) in a prospective multicentre cohort study including patients from Argentina and Brazil who received DCV/SOF ± RBV for 12 or 24 weeks from 2015 to 2018. Multivariable logistic regression models were carried out to identify factors associated with failure to achieve sustained virologic response (SVR) as a primary end point, and to death, decompensation, hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) or liver transplantation (LT) as a composite secondary end point. From a total of 1517 patients treated with DCV/SOF, 906 completed 12 weeks post-treatment evaluation and were included in the analysis. Overall SVR12 rate was 96.1% (95% CI: 94.6%-97.2%), and 95% (95% CI: 92.8%-96.6%) in patients with cirrhosis. LT recipients and presence of cirrhosis were independently associated with failure to achieve SVR. During post-SVR12 follow-up, cumulative incidence of the secondary end point was 2.4% (95% CI: 1.5%-3.6%); two patients died from nonliver-related causes and two from HCC, five underwent LT, 12 developed HCC and 17 patients developed hepatic decompensation. Independent variables associated with these composite secondary end points were prior to HCV treatment and presence of cirrhosis. In conclusion, although the high pangenotypic effectiveness of DCV/SOF ± RBV was confirmed in our real-life cohort, patients with compensated and decompensated cirrhosis showed higher risk of non-SVR and complication appearance during treatment or after achieving SVR.

Initial uptake, time to treatment, and real-world effectiveness of all-oral direct-acting antivirals for hepatitis C virus infection in the United States: A retrospective cohort analysis

Background

Data on initiation and utilization of direct-acting antiviral therapies for hepatitis C virus infection in the United States are limited. This study evaluated treatment initiation, time to treatment, and real-world effectiveness of direct-acting antiviral therapy in individuals with hepatitis C virus infection treated during the first 2 years of availability of all-oral direct-acting antiviral therapies.

Methods

A retrospective cohort analysis was undertaken using electronic medical records and chart review abstraction of hepatitis C virus-infected individuals aged >18 years diagnosed with chronic hepatitis C virus infection between January 1, 2014, and December 31, 2015 from the Indiana University Health database.

Results

Eight hundred thirty people initiated direct-acting antiviral therapy during the 2-year observation window. The estimated incidence of treatment initiation was 8.8%±0.34% at the end of year 1 and 15.0%±0.5% at the end of year 2. Median time to initiating therapy was 300 days. Using a Cox regression analysis, positive predictors of treatment initiation included age (hazard ratio, 1.008), prior hepatitis C virus treatment (1.74), cirrhosis (2.64), and history of liver transplant (1.5). History of drug abuse (0.43), high baseline alanine aminotransferase levels (0.79), hepatitis B virus infection (0.41), and self-pay (0.39) were negatively associated with treatment initiation. In the evaluable population (n = 423), 83.9% (95% confidence interval, 80.1–87.3%) of people achieved sustained virologic response.

Conclusion

In the early years of the direct-acting antiviral era, <10% of people diagnosed with chronic hepatitis C virus infection received direct-acting antiviral treatment; median time to treatment initiation was 300 days. Future analyses should evaluate time to treatment initiation among those with less advanced fibrosis.

Treatment Status of Hepatocellular Carcinoma Does Not Influence Rates of Sustained Virologic Response: An HCV-TARGET Analysis

Recent studies have suggested a negative impact of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) on sustained virologic response (SVR) to hepatitis C virus (HCV) direct acting antivirals (DAAs). We compared the effectiveness of DAAs in patients with cirrhosis, with and without HCC, and in those with HCC partially treated or untreated (PT/UT‐HCC) versus completely treated (CT‐HCC). HCC status was based on imaging 6 months before or 2 months after start of DAA therapy. Absence and presence of enhancing lesions after HCC treatment defined CT‐HCC and PT/UT‐HCC, respectively. Using minimally adjusted logistic regression, the association between the presence of HCC and SVR rates was estimated. Among the 1,457 patients with cirrhosis from HCV‐TARGET with complete virologic data (per‐protocol population) who did not undergo liver transplantation during treatment and followup, 1,300 were without HCC, 91 with CT‐HCC, and 66 with PT/UT‐HCC. Most patients were genotype 1 (81%) and treatment‐experienced (56%), 41% had history of prior decompensation, and the median pretreatment Model for End‐Stage Liver Disease was 9 (range 6‐39). The SVR rates were 91% for patients without HCC, 84% for CT‐HCC, and 80% for PT/UT‐HCC. The presence of HCC (versus not having HCC) was associated with significantly lower odds of achieving SVR (odds ratio [OR] = 0.51, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.33‐0.81; P = 0.003). However, among those with HCC, HCC treatment status (PT/UT‐HCC versus CT‐HCC) did not show association with SVR (OR = 0.79, 95% CI: 0.35‐1.79, P = 0.569). Conclusions: The presence of HCC reduces the likelihood of SVR by 50%, but with no evident difference in those with completely treated HCC versus partially treated/untreated HCC.

Hepatitis C virus therapy in advanced liver disease: Outcomes and challenges

While for many years investigators had worked on highly effective direct-acting antiviral agent (DAA) therapy, we are now encountering challenges on the appropriate timing of DAA therapy in patients with decompensated cirrhosis. Improvement in hepatic function and quality of life can be achieved following successful therapy but not in all patients. Predictors of improvement or failure to improve have been noted but these are currently not robust enough to ubiquitously apply them to clinical practice. The lowest probability of improvement in hepatic function and avoidance of Model for End-stage Liver Disease (MELD) "purgatory" appears to be in those with MELD >20 while the more likely scenario of improvements is in those with MELD <15. Ideally, patients with a MELD score >20 should be transplanted first and treated for hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection after liver transplantation (LT). Those with MELD score <15 should be considered readily for treatment while in those with MELD of 15-20, treatment has to be individualized with full discussion of the pros and cons of treating them pre- or post-LT. However, it is to be appreciated that the majority of patients with decompensated cirrhosis across the world may not be eligible for liver transplant or may not have access to LT; thus, these patients should be considered for HCV therapy with the hope and expectation that they still gain variable degrees of benefit from successful DAA therapy.

Direct-Acting Antivirals for Hepatitis C: Predictors of Early Discontinuation in the Real World

BACKGROUND

The treatment for hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection has evolved over time, and direct-acting antivirals (DAA) have revolutionized HCV therapy.

OBJECTIVES

To (a) assess early treatment discontinuation and (b) identify predictors of early discontinuation in a cohort of patients receiving second-generation DAAs.

METHODS

We identified HCV patients newly prescribed simeprevir/sofosbuvir (SIM/SOF), ledipasvir/sofosbuvir (LDV/SOF), ombitasvir/paritaprevir/ritonavir + dasabuvir (OPrD), sofosbuvir/velpatasvir (SOF/VEL), elbasvir/grazoprevir (EBR/GZR), and glecaprevir/pibrentasvir (GLE/PIB) between 2014 and 2017. Early discontinuation was defined as duration of therapy less than 8 weeks. Multivariable logistic regression was performed to evaluate the association of drug regimens and potential predictive factors to early discontinuation.

RESULTS

We identified 26,098 DAA-treated patients: 67.8% with LDV/SOF, 9.9% with OPrD, 8.5% with SIM/SOF, 7.8% with SOF/VEL, 5.2% with EBR/GZR, and 0.8% with GLE/PIB. With approval of new therapies in 2016 and 2017, use of OPrD, LDV/SOF, and SIM/SOF declined substantially. At baseline, there was some heterogeneity of past HCV drug use and comorbidity across groups; patients on SIM/SOF had the highest frequency of previous interferon, cirrhosis, and decompensated cirrhosis. Most HCV patients received therapy for 8-12 weeks; fewer patients went through 16-week and 24-week therapy courses. Early discontinuation rates (95% CI) were 7.1% (6.0-8.2) for SIM/SOF, 3.2% (2.9-3.5) for LDV/SOF, 9.6% (8.5-10.7) for OPrD, 3.1% (2.3-3.8) for SOF/VEL, 4.2% (3.1-5.3) for EBR/GZR, and 2.5% (0.3-4.7) for GLE/PIB. In multivariable analyses, versus OPrD, patients starting other drug regimens were less likely to discontinue therapy early. Early discontinuation was more common in women, patients with baseline anemia, and Medicare and Medicaid patients.

CONCLUSIONS

These real-world data confirm low rates of early discontinuation in users of second-generation DAAs. Future research focusing on socio-economic and sex/gender issues may help further optimize care for patients with HCV.

DISCLOSURES

This study was funded by the Canadian Institutes of Health Research. Klein has received grants for investigator-initiated trials from ViiV Healthcare, Janssen, Gilead, and Merck, as well as consulting fees from ViiV Healthcare, Merck, and AbbVie. Feld has received research support and/or scientific consulting fees from AbbVie, Contravir, Enanta, Gilead, Janssen, Merck, and Wako. All other authors have no conflicts of interest to declare. Results from this study were presented as a poster at the 34th International Conference of Phamacoepidemiology and Therapeutic Risk Management; August 22-26, 2018; Prague, Czech Republic.

AGA Clinical Practice Update on Interaction Between Oral Direct-Acting Antivirals for Chronic Hepatitis C Infection and Hepatocellular Carcinoma: Expert Review

DESCRIPTION

The purpose of this clinical practice update is to evaluate the evidence describing the interaction between direct-acting antiviral (DAA) therapy for hepatitis and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) with regard to HCC incidence, HCC recurrence, and DAA efficacy, and to summarize best practice advice regarding HCC surveillance and timing of DAA therapy.

METHODS

The recommendations outlined in this expert review are based on available published evidence, including observational studies and systematic reviews, and incorporates expert opinion where applicable. BEST PRACTICE ADVICE 1: DAA treatment is associated with a reduction in the risk of incident HCC. The relative risk reduction is similar in patients with and without cirrhosis. BEST PRACTICE ADVICE 2: Patients with advanced liver fibrosis (F3) or cirrhosis should receive surveillance imaging before initiating DAA treatment. BEST PRACTICE ADVICE 3: Patients with advanced liver fibrosis (F3) or cirrhosis at the time of DAA treatment represent the highest-risk group for HCC after DAA-induced sustained virologic response. These patients should stay in HCC surveillance. BEST PRACTICE ADVICE 4: HCC surveillance should be performed using ultrasound with or without α-fetoprotein every 6 months. Current data do not support shorter surveillance intervals or the use of alternative surveillance modalities. BEST PRACTICE ADVICE 5: Future studies may show a reduction in HCC risk over time after DAA-induced sustained virologic response. However, in the interim, HCC surveillance should continue indefinitely if patients are otherwise eligible for potentially curative therapy. BEST PRACTICE ADVICE 6: The presence of active HCC is associated with a small but statistically significant decrease in sustained virologic response with DAA therapy. BEST PRACTICE ADVICE 7: Patients with HCC who are eligible for potentially curative therapy with liver resection or ablation should defer DAA therapy until after HCC treatment is completed. BEST PRACTICE ADVICE 8: Timing of DAA therapy for patients with HCC who are listed for liver transplantation should be determined with consideration of median wait times, availability of hepatitis C virus-positive organs, and degree of liver dysfunction. BEST PRACTICE ADVICE 9: There are insufficient data evaluating benefits and cost-effectiveness of DAA therapy in patients with active intermediate or advanced HCC. Decisions regarding DAA treatment in these patients should be considered in light of HCC tumor burden, degree of liver dysfunction, life expectancy, and patient preferences. BEST PRACTICE ADVICE 10: There are no conclusive data that DAA therapy is associated with increased or decreased risk, differential time to recurrence, or aggressiveness of recurrent HCC in patients with complete response to HCC therapy. BEST PRACTICE ADVICE 11: DAA therapy should not be withheld from patients with complete response to HCC therapy; however, DAA therapy can be deferred 4-6 months to confirm response to HCC therapy. BEST PRACTICE ADVICE 12: Patients with complete response to HCC therapy who are treated with DAAs have a continued risk of HCC recurrence and require HCC surveillance, which should be conducted indefinitely with dynamic contrast-enhanced computed tomography or magnetic resonance imaging every 3-6 months. Current data do not support more frequent surveillance in these patients. This Clinical Practice Update was produced by the AGA Institute.

Hepatitis C antibody reactivity among high-risk rural women: opportunities for services and treatment in the criminal justice system

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to examine the drug use and criminal justice factors related to hepatitis C virus (HCV) antibody reactivity among rural women in the USA recruited from local jails. Design/methodology/approach Analyses included 277 women with a history of injection drug use from three rural jails in Kentucky. Participants completed health and drug use questionnaires and received antibody testing for HCV. Findings The majority of women tested reactive to the HCV antibody (69 percent). Reactivity was associated with risk factors, such as unsterile needle use. Criminal justice variables, including an increased likelihood of prison incarceration, an earlier age of first arrest, and a longer incarceration history, were associated with HCV reactive tests. Participants also endorsed several barriers to seeking healthcare before entering jail that were more prevalent in women testing HCV reactive regardless of HCV status awareness before entering jail. Originality/value Injection and high-risk sharing practices as well as criminal justice factors were significantly associated with HCV reactivity. Future research and practice could focus on opportunities for linkages to HCV treatment during incarceration as well as during community re-entry to help overcome real or perceived treatment barriers. The current study highlights the importance of the criminal justice system as a non-traditional, real-world setting to examine drug use and related health consequences such as HCV by describing the association of high-risk drug use and criminal justice consequences with HCV among rural women recruited from local jails.

Overview of Direct-Acting Antiviral Drugs and Drug Resistance of Hepatitis C Virus

The advent of direct-acting antivirals (DAAs) has brought about a sudden renaissance in the treatment of chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection with SVR rates now routinely >90%. However, due to the error-prone nature of the HCV RNA polymerase, resistance-associated substitutions (RASs) to DAAs may be present at baseline and can result in a significant effect on treatment outcomes and hamper the achievement of sustained virologic response. By further understanding the patterns and nature of these RASs, it is anticipated that the incidence of treatment failure will continue to decrease in frequency with the development of drug regimens with increasing potency, barrier to resistance, and genotypic efficacy. This review summarizes our current knowledge of RASs associated with HCV infection as well as the clinical effect of RASs on treatment with currently available DAA regimens.

Sustained Virologic Response and Costs Associated with Direct-Acting Antivirals for Chronic Hepatitis C Infection in Oklahoma Medicaid

BACKGROUND

Outcomes involving newer direct-acting antiviral (DAA) hepatitis C virus (HCV) regimens have not been studied extensively among the Medicaid population.

OBJECTIVE

To assess clinical (treatment failure) and economic outcomes for chronic HCV-infected Oklahoma Medicaid members following treatment with DAAs and to measure associations with patient, treatment, and clinical characteristics.

METHODS

This cross-sectional study used Oklahoma Medicaid pharmacy and medical claims data for adult members who used a newer DAA agent and had reported a successful or failed sustained virological response rate 12 weeks after therapy completion (SVR12) from January 1, 2014, to June 30, 2016. Multivariable logistic and gamma regressions assessed predictors of SVR12 failure and costs controlling for member demographics (i.e., age, sex, race, rural residence); type of DAA and adherence; clinical characteristics (e.g., comorbid conditions, advanced liver disease); and the implementation of changes to a prior authorization program.

RESULTS

Of 934 Medicaid members eligible for treatment with DAAs between January 1, 2014, and June 30, 2016, 906 received DAA treatment, 40.6% (368/906) had reported SVR12 outcomes, and 59.4% (n = 538) did not have a reported SVR recorded. Of those with reported SVR12 outcomes, patients were 53.1 ± 9.7 years of age, 51.1% were male, 8.4% had SVR12 failure, and each member had mean costs of $140,283 ± $52,779. Multivariable analyses indicated higher odds of SVR12 failure was independently associated with cirrhosis (OR [decompensated] = 6.69 and OR [compensated] = 3.52, P < 0.001), while males had higher odds of failure than females (OR = 3.34, P < 0.010). No significant difference in SVR12 failure was noted, according to DAA type or a medication adherence threshold of > 95%. Ledipasvir/sofosbuvir was independently associated with lower costs (exp[b] = 0.81; P < 0.001) compared with sofosbuvir, while higher costs were associated with decompensated cirrhosis (exp[b] = 1.22; P < 0.001) and treatment failure (exp[b] = 1.18, P < 0.010). In an analysis including members without reported SVR12 outcomes, decompensated and compensated cirrhosis had lower odds (P < 0.001) of no reported SVR12 from ambulatory clinic settings.

CONCLUSIONS

Almost 60% of Medicaid members receiving DAA treatment did not have a final reported SVR12 outcome. Among those with viral load measurements, treatment success was high and both decompensated and compensated cirrhosis were independently associated with significantly higher odds of treatment failure. Addressing a loss to follow-up among HCV patients and curtailing the development of cirrhosis to improve treatment success may warrant interventions that improve access to care and remove barriers that impede treatment initiation and completion.

DISCLOSURES

No outside funding supported this study. Pham, Keast, Holderread, Nesser, and Skrepnek disclose either employment by the Oklahoma Health Care Authority or contractual work for this employer. Pham discloses fellowship funding from Purdue Pharma unrelated to this study. Keast and Skrepnek disclose research grant funding from Gilead Sciences and Abbvie. Holderread also reports grant funding from Gilead Sciences and fees from PRIME Education. Thompson, Farmer, and Rathbun have nothing to disclose.

Oral direct-acting antivirals and the incidence or recurrence of hepatocellular carcinoma: a systematic review and meta-analysis

BACKGROUND

The influence of direct-acting antiviral (DAA) therapy for chronic hepatitis C virus on the risk of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is conflicting.

METHODS

We conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis to determine the incidence or recurrence of HCC associated with oral DAA therapy. We searched PubMed, Scopus, Embase from inception to August 2017 to identify observational studies reporting on HCC among patients treated with DAAs. Two independent reviewers extracted data and assessed the risk of bias. Data were pooled by random-effects model. The primary outcome was the proportion of participants with incidence or recurrence of HCC (PROSPERO number CRD42017057040).

RESULTS

After reviewing 2080 citations, we included 8 controlled studies and 36 uncontrolled studies. The pooled proportion for incident HCC was 1.5 % (95% CI 1.0% to 2.1%; I²=90.1%; n= 542/39 145) from 18 uncontrolled studies and 3.3% (95% CI 1.2% to 9%; I² =96%; n=109/6909) from 5 controlled studies, respectively. The pooled proportion for recurrent HCC was 16.7% (95% CI 10.2% to 26%; I²=84.8%; n=136/867) from 12 uncontrolled studies and 20.1% (95% CI 5.5% to 52.1%; I²=87.5%; n=36/225) from 3 controlled studies, respectively. There was no statistically significant effect on the risk of recurrent HCC (OR 0.50, 95%CI 0.16 to 1.59; I² =73.4%) in a meta-analysis of three studies.

CONCLUSIONS

Our findings show low proportion of incident HCC, but high proportion of recurrent HCC on treatment with DAAs. Continued active surveillance for HCC after treatment with DAAs remains prudent.

Real-world effectiveness of direct-acting antiviral agents for chronic hepatitis C in Taiwan: Real-world data

BACKGROUND/PURPOSE

Treatment of chronic hepatitis C (CHC) has entered a new era since the introduction of direct-acting antiviral agents (DAAs). Numerous clinical trials have shown that treatment response as well as tolerability of DAAs are superior to those of conventional therapy with pegylated interferon and ribavirin. However, the results of clinical trials may not be directly applied to real-world practice. Therefore our study tried to investigate the effectiveness of various DAA regimens in Taiwanese patients with chronic hepatitis C.

METHODS

We performed a retrospective study on 400 CHC patients. The primary endpoint was undetectable HCV RNA (an HCV RNA level of <25 IU/mL) at 12 weeks posttreatment (SVR12). The results were stratified by different DAAs and HCV genotypes.

RESULTS

Genotype 1b was the major genotype (297, 74.3%), followed by genotype 2 (65, 16.3%). The patients were treated according to HCV genotype, clinical practice and reimbursement guidelines. The SVR12 rates of 57 patients treated with sofosbuvir and ribavirin, 107 treated with ledipasvir/sofosbuvir with or without ribavirin, 60 treated with daclatasvir/asunaprevir with or without ribavirin, 129 treated with ombitasvir/paritaprevir/ritonavir/dasabuvir with or without ribavirin, 12 treated with sofosbuvir/daclatasvir with or without ribavirin, and 35 treated with elbasvir/grazoprevir were 98.2%, 97.2%, 85.0%, 97.7%, 100.0%, and 100.0%, respectively.

CONCLUSIONS

The overall SVR12 rates in our study were comparable with those in previous pivotal trials. DAAs are generally safe. The interaction of HBV and HCV during DAA therapy and the observation of de novo HCC development and HCC recurrence during or after DAAs warrants additional studies.

Planning and prioritizing direct-acting antivirals treatment for HCV patients in countries with limited resources: Lessons from the Egyptian experience

BACKGROUND AND AIMS

The introduction of direct-acting antivirals for hepatitis C virus (HCV) in Egypt led to massive treatment uptake, with Egypt's national HCV treatment program becoming the largest in the world. The aim of this paper is to present the Egyptian experience in planning and prioritizing mass treatment for patients with HCV, highlighting the difficulties and limitations of the program, as a guide for other countries of similarly limited resources.

METHODS

Baseline data of 337,042 patients, treated between October 2014 to March 2016 in specialized viral hepatitis treatment centers, were grouped into three equal time intervals of six months each. Patients were treated with different combinations of direct-acting antivirals, with or without ribavirin and pegylated interferon. Baseline data, percentage of patients with known outcome, and sustained virological response at week 12 (SVR12) were analyzed for the three cohorts. The outcomes of 94,258 patients treated in the subsequent two months are also included.

RESULTS

For cohort-1, treatment was prioritized for patients with advanced fibrosis (F3-F4 fibrosis, liver stiffness ≥9.5 kPa, or Fibrosis-4 ≥3.25). Starting cohort-2, all stages of fibrosis were included (F0-F4). The prioritization strategy in the initial phase caused delays in enrollment and massive backlogs. Cohort-1 patients were significantly older, and more had advanced fibrosis compared to subsequent cohorts. The percentage of patients with known SVR12 results were low initially, and increased with each cohort, as several methods to capture patient results were adopted. Sofosbuvir-ribavirin therapy for 24 weeks had the lowest SVR12 rate (82.7%); while other therapies were associated with SVR12 rates between 94% and 98%.

CONCLUSION

Prioritization based on fibrosis stage was not effective and enrollment increased greatly only after including all stages of fibrosis. The availability of generic drugs reduced costs, and helped massively increase uptake of the program. Post-treatment follow-up was initially very low, and although this has increased, further improvement is still needed.

LAY SUMMARY

We are presenting the largest national program for HCV treatment in the world. We clearly demonstrate that hepatitis C can be cured efficiently in large scale real-life programs. This is a clear statement that global HCV eradication is foreseeable, providing a model for other countries with limited resources and prevalent HCV. Moreover, the availability of generic products has influenced the success of this program.

Impact of diabetes mellitus and hepatitis B virus coinfection on patients with chronic hepatitis C: A territory-wide cohort study

BACKGROUND AND AIM

Studies have demonstrated a higher prevalence of diabetes mellitus (DM) in patients with chronic hepatitis C (CHC). Furthermore, coinfection with hepatitis B virus (HBV) is common because of its endemicity in Asian-Pacific regions. The aim of the present study was to investigate the impact of DM and HBV coinfection on the clinical outcomes in Chinese CHC patients.

METHODS

A territory-wide cohort study was conducted using the database from Hospital Authority, the sole public medical service provider in Hong Kong. CHC patients were identified by the International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision, Clinical Modification diagnosis codes, diagnosed between 2000 and 2012. The primary outcome was overall mortality.

RESULTS

A total of 7149 CHC patients were included. Seven hundred twenty-two (10.1%) patients were coinfected with HBV. Their mean age was 56 years; 69.0% were men. The prevalence of DM was similar in mono-infection and coinfection cohorts (22.3% and 21.3%, respectively). Multivariable analysis identified DM as an independent risk factor for death and antiviral treatment for hepatitis C virus (HCV) as an independent protective factor against death. The 5-year survival of CHC patients with mono-infection was better than that of HBV coinfected patients (62.5% vs 57.0%; P = 0.001). The 5-year survival of patients who did or did not receive antiviral treatment for HCV was 94.7% and 55.2%, respectively (P < 0.001).

CONCLUSIONS

Hepatitis B virus coinfection and DM were independent risk factors for death in Hong Kong CHC patients. Antiviral treatment for HCV but not HBV was a protective factor against death.

The effectiveness and safety of ledipasvir plus sofosbuvir in adolescents with chronic hepatitis C virus genotype 4 infection: a real-world experience

BACKGROUND

The combination of ledipasvir plus sofosbuvir was recently approved for treatment of adolescent (12-17 years) HCV genotype 1, 4, 5 & 6 patients. However, few clinical trials have been performed in genotype 1 patients.

AIM

To investigate the effectiveness and safety of ledipasvir plus sofosbuvir in chronic HCV adolescent patients with genotype 4 in the real world.

METHODS

This prospective multicentre (six centres) open-label study included 144 adolescent chronic HCV patients with genotype 4 (mean age 14 ± 2, 69% males). All patients received a combination tablet containing 400 mg sofosbuvir and 90 mg ledipasvir once daily for 12 weeks. Laboratory and virological markers were evaluated at baseline, week 4, week 8 and week 12 (EOT), and 12 weeks after end of treatment (SVR12).

RESULTS

SVR12 was observed in 142/144 patients (99%). The relapsers occurred in previous naïve patients (n = 2/128, 2%), while the experienced patients showed 100% SVR12. SVR12 was 98% in F0/F1 patients in comparison to 100% in F2 patients (P = 0.552). No serious side effects were observed, nor was treatment discontinuation or death. Headache was the most common side effect in all patients (20%). In experienced patients, pruritus (31%, P = 0.007), diarrhoea (44%, P < 0.001) and skin rash (19%, P = 0.002) were higher than in naïve patients.

CONCLUSIONS

A ledipasvir plus sofosbuvir regimen is well tolerated and effective, and can be used safely in treating adolescent patients with chronic hepatitis C genotype 4.

Diagnosis and monitoring of HCV infection using the cobas® HCV test for use on the cobas® 6800/8800 systems

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES

Accurate, sensitive, and specific tests for detection and monitoring of hepatitis C virus (HCV) RNA concentrations are essential for diagnosis and management of HCV infections. We evaluated the next-generation reverse-transcription real-time PCR test, cobas^® HCV test for use with the cobas^® 6800/8800 systems ("cobas HCV") by determining its analytical performance characteristics and clinical utility for the diagnosis and therapeutic monitoring of chronic HCV infections.

METHODS

The limit of detection (LOD), linearity, precision, specificity, matrix equivalence of plasma and serum, and quantitative agreement with the COBAS^® AmpliPrep/COBAS^® TaqMan^® HCV Test version 2.0 ("CAP/CTM HCV v2") were evaluated. Clinical utility for the diagnosis of chronic HCV infection was demonstrated by testing plasma from HCV seropositive individuals and comparing results to a nucleic acid amplification test (NAAT) approved for use in the diagnosis of chronic hepatitis C. Clinical specificity was investigated by testing plasma from HCV antibody negative subjects with non-HCV related liver diseases. Utility for monitoring treatment response was defined by testing plasma collected during treatment of HCV genotypes (GT) 1, 2, and 3 and determining positive predictive value (PPV), negative predictive value (NPV) and the odds ratio (OR) for predicting cure (sustained virologic response 12 weeks after treatment cessation, "SVR12").

RESULTS

The cobas HCV test demonstrated an LOD of at least 15 IU/mL and measurable range from 15 to at least 1.0E + 08 IU/mL (1.2-8.0 log₁₀ IU/mL) for GT 1-6, with high accuracy (≤0.16 log₁₀ difference) and precision (standard deviation 0.04-0.14 log₁₀) throughout the linear range. Paired plasma and serum samples showed highly correlated performance (R² = 0.97). Quantification was 100% specific for HCV in analytical studies. Correlation with CAP/CTM HCV v2 was high in patient samples (mean titer difference: 0.05 log₁₀ with a 95% CI: 0.03-0.06 log₁₀). For the diagnosis of chronic HCV, positive and negative percent agreement between cobas HCV and the comparator NAAT were 98.8-100% on the cobas 6800 and 8800 systems. Clinical specificity of cobas HCV using samples from HCV antibody negative subjects with non-HCV related liver diseases was 99.6% and 100% on cobas 6800 and 8800 systems. In therapeutic monitoring and SVR12 prediction during experimental treatment for chronic HCV GT 1 infections, undetectable HCV RNA by cobas HCV at different on-treatment weeks had a PPV 76.8%-79.4%, NPV 29.9%-100%, and OR 1.64-47.52. During therapy of HCV GT 2 and GT 3, treatment week 4 and 12 results were: PPV, 84.7% and 75.3%; NPV, 47.8% and 50.0%; OR, 5.09 and 3.05.

CONCLUSIONS

The cobas HCV test is highly sensitive, specific, and accurate HCV RNA test for GT 1-6. It demonstrates excellent correlation with the FDA-approved CAP/CTM HCV v2 test. It is useful clinically for detection of active HCV infection in individuals that have had a positive anti-HCV antibody test result and in monitoring treatment response.

Sofosbuvir and daclatasvir therapy in patients with hepatitis C-related advanced decompensated liver disease (MELD ≥ 15)

BACKGROUND

Antiviral therapy for hepatitis C has the potential to improve liver function in patients with decompensated cirrhosis.

AIMS

To examine the virological response and effect of viral clearance in patients with decompensated hepatitis C cirrhosis all with MELD scores ≥15 following sofosbuvir/daclatasvir ± ribavirin.

METHODS

We prospectively collected data on patients who commenced sofosbuvir/daclatasvir for 24-weeks under the Australian patient supply program (TOSCAR) and analysed outcomes including sustained viral response at 12 weeks (SVR12), death and transplant.

RESULTS

108 patients (M/F, 79/29; median age 56years; Child-Pugh 10; MELD 16; genotype 1/3, 55/47) received sofosbuvir/daclatasvir and two also received ribavirin. On intention-to-treat, the SVR12 rate was 70% (76/108). Seventy-eight patients completed 24-weeks therapy. SVR12 was achieved in 56 of these patients on per-protocol-analysis (76%). SVR12 was 80% in genotype 1 compared to 69% in genotype 3. Thirty patients failed to complete therapy. In patients achieving SVR12, median MELD and Child-Pugh fell from 16(IQR15-17) to 14(12-17) and 10(9-11) to 8(7-9), respectively (P<.001). In those who died, MELD increased from 16 to 23 at death (P=.036). Patients who required transplantation had a significantly higher baseline MELD (20) compared to those patients completing treatment (16) (P=.0010). The odds ratio for transplant in patients with baseline MELD ≥20 was 13.8(95%CI 2.78-69.04).

CONCLUSIONS

SVR12 rates with sofosbuvir/daclatasvir in advanced liver disease are lower than in compensated disease. Although treatment improves MELD and Child-Pugh in most patients, a significant proportion will die or require transplantation. In those with MELD ≥20, it may be better to delay treatment until post-transplant.

Rates of sustained virological response 12 weeks after the scheduled end of direct-acting antiviral (DAA)-based hepatitis C virus (HCV) therapy from the National German HCV registry: does HIV coinfection impair the response to DAA combination therapy?

OBJECTIVES

The European Association for the Study of the Liver (EASL) treatment recommendations for hepatitis C no longer discriminate between HIV/hepatitis C virus (HCV)-coinfected and HCV-monoinfected patients. However, recent data from Spain are questioning these recommendations on the basis of the findings of higher relapse rates and lower cure rates in HIV/HCV-infected subjects. The aim of our study was to compare HCV cure rates in monoinfected and coinfected patients from Germany.

METHODS

Data acquired from the Deutsches Hepatitis C-Registry were analysed. A total of 5657 HCV-monoinfected subjects and 488 HIV/HCV-coinfected patients were included in the study. Rates of sustained virological response 12 weeks after the scheduled end of therapy (SVR12) were collected in both subgroups and in cirrhotic and noncirrhotic patients.

RESULTS

HIV/HCV-coinfected patients were more frequently male (84.6% vs. 56.4%, respectively; P < 0.001) and younger than HCV-monoinfected subjects (46.5 ± 9 vs. 53.8 ± 12.5 years, respectively; P < 0.001). The CD4 blood cell count was > 350 cells/μL in 63.1% of HIV-positive subjects and 88.7% were on antiretroviral therapy. SVR12 rates were 90.3% (5111 of 5657) in our HCV-monoinfected cohort and 91.2% (445 of 488) in our coinfected patients. Liver cirrhosis was confirmed in 1667 of 5657 (29.5%) monoinfected patients and 84 of 488 (17.2%; P < 0.001) coinfected patients. SVR12 rates did not differ between HCV-monoinfected and HIV/HCV-coinfected patients with liver cirrhosis (87.8% vs. 89.3%, respectively; P = 0.864). A treatment duration of 8 weeks did not reduce the percentage of patients with SVR12 in either subgroup (93.7% in both groups).

CONCLUSIONS

We found high SVR12 rates in monoinfected as well as coinfected individuals. No differences were detected between the two subgroups regardless of whether there was accompanying liver cirrhosis or a shortened treatment duration.

Safety and efficacy of sofosbuvir-based direct-acting antiviral regimens for hepatitis C virus genotypes 1-4 and 6 in Myanmar: Real-world experience

This open-label, clinical experience investigated the safety and efficacy of direct-acting antiviral (DAA) hepatitis C virus (HCV) therapy in Myanmar; 344 patients completed treatment between June 2015 and May 2016. Patients with HCV genotypes 1-4 and 6 received one of four treatments: (i) Peg-interferon (PEG-IFN)+sofosbuvir (SOF)+ribavirin (RBV) for 12 weeks, (ii) SOF+RBV for 24 weeks, (iii) ledipasvir (LDV)+SOF for 12 weeks or (iv) daclatasvir (DCV)+SOF+RBV for 12 or 24 weeks. Genotype 3 was most common (n=133, 38.7%), followed by genotype 6 (n=122, 35.5%) and genotype 1 (n=86, 25%). Overall, 91% of patients achieved sustained virologic response (SVR); 99% in group 1, (n=148/149), 90% in group 2 (n=95/106), 78% in group 3 (n=65/83) and 100% in group 4 (n=6/6). In group 3, SVR rates were 96.8% in genotype 1 (n=30/31) and 64.1% in genotype 6 (n=25/39). Multivariable regression analysis identified advanced fibrosis (F3-4) (OR=.16 CI: 0.05-0.57, P=.005), genotype 6 (OR=.35, CI: 0.16-0.79, P=.012) and diabetes (OR=.29, CI: 0.12-0.71, P=.007) as negative independent predictors of response. Adverse events were mild with all-oral therapy.

CONCLUSION

DAA therapy ±PEG-IFN achieved high SVR rates. Genotype 6 patients had a low SVR to 12 weeks of LDV and SOF raising the need for other regimens, RBV or longer treatment duration in this population.

Racial Disparity in Gastrointestinal Cancer Risk

Cancer from the gastrointestinal tract and its associated excretory organs will occur in more than 300,000 Americans in 2017, with colorectal cancer responsible for >40% of that burden; there will be more than 150,000 deaths from this group of cancers in the same time period. Disparities among subgroups related to the incidence and mortality of these cancers exist. The epidemiology and risk factors associated with each cancer bear out differences for racial groups in the United States. Esophageal adenocarcinoma is more frequent in non-Hispanic whites, whereas esophageal squamous cell carcinoma with risk factors of tobacco and alcohol is more frequent among blacks. Liver cancer has been most frequent among Asian/Pacific Islanders, chiefly due to hepatitis B vertical transmission, but other racial groups show increasing rates due to hepatitis C and emergence of cirrhosis from non-alcoholic fatty liver disease. Gastric cancer incidence remains highest among Asian/Pacific Islanders likely due to gene-environment interaction. In addition to esophageal squamous cell carcinoma, cancers of the small bowel, pancreas, and colorectum show the highest rates among blacks, where the explanations for the disparity are not as obvious and are likely multifactorial, including socioeconomic and health care access, treatment, and prevention (vaccination and screening) differences, dietary and composition of the gut microbiome, as well as biologic and genetic influences. Cognizance of these disparities in gastrointestinal cancer risk, as well as approaches that apply precision medicine methods to populations with the increased risk, may reduce the observed disparities for digestive cancers.

Effectiveness of 8- or 12-weeks of ledipasvir and sofosbuvir in real-world treatment-naïve, genotype 1 hepatitis C infected patients

BACKGROUND

Treatment of genotype 1 hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection with combination direct acting anti-virals is associated with very high rates of sustained virological response (SVR). Daily combination of ledipasvir and sofosbuvir for 12 weeks is approved for the treatment of genotype 1 HCV patients, though noncirrhotic patients who are naïve to treatment with a baseline HCV RNA <6 million IU/mL can be treated for 8 weeks. This guidance stemmed from a post hoc analysis of the ION 3 clinical trial, which demonstrated similar SVR for patients treated with ledipasvir and sofosbuvir with or without ribavirin for 8 or 12 weeks.

AIM

To compare the SVR for 8 weeks vs 12 weeks of ledipasvir and sofosbuvir in HCV infected patients in a real-world setting.

METHODS

We performed an observational real-world cohort study of treatment success following 8 or 12 weeks of ledipasvir and sofosbuvir for treatment-naïve genotype 1 HCV patients.

RESULTS

A total of 826 patients were treated for either 8 (n=252) or 12 weeks (n=574) with ledipasvir and sofosbuvir and achieved SVR rate of 95.3% and there was no statistical difference in SVR rates in the two groups irrespective of any clinical or virological variables.

CONCLUSIONS

In treatment-naïve HCV genotype 1 patients, SVR was 95% in those treated for either 8 weeks or 12 weeks with ledipasvir and sofosbuvir. 8 week ledipasvir and sofosbuvir can reduce costs without compromising outcomes for those patients who qualify for such regimen.

Hepatitis C Treatment Regimens Are Cost-Effective: But Compared With What?

BACKGROUND

Numerous economic models have been published evaluating treatment of chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection, but none provide a comprehensive comparison among new antiviral agents.

OBJECTIVE

Evaluate the cost-effectiveness of all recommended therapies for treatment of genotypes 1 and 4 chronic HCV.

METHODS

Using data from clinical trials, observational analyses, and drug pricing databases, Markov decision models were developed for HCV genotypes 1 and 4 to compare all recommended drugs from the perspective of the third-party payer over a 5-, 10-, and 50-year time horizon. A probabilistic sensitivity analysis (PSA) was conducted by assigning distributions for clinical cure, age entering the model, costs for each health state, and quality-adjusted life years (QALYs) for each health state in a Monte Carlo simulation of 10 000 repetitions of the model.

RESULTS

In the lifetime model for genotype 1, effects ranged from 18.08 to 18.40 QALYs and total costs ranged from $88 107 to $184 636. The lifetime model of genotype 4 treatments had a range of effects from 18.23 to 18.43 QALYs and total costs ranging from $87 063 to $127 637. Grazoprevir/elbasvir was the optimal strategy followed by velpatasvir/sofosbuvir as the second-best strategy in most simulations for both genotypes 1 and 4, with drug costs and efficacy of grazoprevir/elbasvir as the primary model drivers.

CONCLUSIONS

Grazoprevir/elbasvir was cost-effective compared with all strategies for genotypes 1 and 4. Effects for all strategies were similar with cost of drug in the initial year driving the results.

Systematic review: interferon-free regimens for patients with HCV-related Child C cirrhosis

BACKGROUND

It is unclear whether the efficacy and long-term outcome of treating patients with hepatitis C virus (HCV)-positive cirrhosis with the new protease inhibitors will extend to those with Child C cirrhosis.

AIM

To assess the effectiveness of the interferon-free regimens in Child C cirrhotic patients with HCV infection.

METHODS

A systematic Medline search was conducted to retrieve studies describing the treatment of Child C patients with direct-acting agents. Citations from identified studies were cross-referenced and abstracts from European Association for the Study of the Liver (EASL) and American Association for the Study of Liver Disease (AASLD) meetings were checked. Extracted data were evaluated using a meta-analysis to calculate a weighted response rate.

RESULTS

Seven full-text records and two conference abstracts were retained for analysis from the 649 records identified. Data from an Italian real-life trial were also interrogated. Information on treatment outcome was available for 228 of the 240 Child C patients evaluated in the 10 trials. Overall, the weighted mean sustained virological response (SVR12) was 74.9% (95% CI: 65.6-82.4%). Neither duration of treatment (24 or 12 weeks), nor addition of ribavirin influenced these rates. The weighted SVR12 was 65.4% (95% CI: 46.8-80.2) after sofosbuvir/simeprevir, 76.0% (95% CI: 54.4-89.3%) after sofosbuvir/daclatasvir and 83.0% (95% CI: 73.4-89.6) after sofosbuvir/ledipasvir. Some studies did not provide information on the rate of post-treatment relapse or functional improvement. However, in those studies that did provide such data, a relapse was documented in 12.1% of patients and an improvement of ≥2 points on the model for end-stage liver disease (MELD) score in 61.1% of patients.

CONCLUSION

The improvement in MELD scores strongly suggests HCV-positive patients with Child C cirrhosis should be treated with these agents.

Immune protection against reinfection with nonprimate hepacivirus

Hepatitis C virus (HCV) displays a restricted host species tropism and only humans and chimpanzees are susceptible to infection. A robust immunocompetent animal model is still lacking, hampering mechanistic analysis of virus pathogenesis, immune control, and prophylactic vaccine development. The closest homolog of HCV is the equine nonprimate hepacivirus (NPHV), which shares similar features with HCV and thus represents an animal model to study hepacivirus infections in their natural hosts. We aimed to dissect equine immune responses after experimental NPHV infection and conducted challenge experiments to investigate immune protection against secondary NPHV infections. Horses were i.v. injected with NPHV containing plasma. Flow cytometric analysis was used to monitor immune cell frequencies and activation status. All infected horses became viremic after 1 or 2 wk and viremia could be detected in two horses for several weeks followed by a delayed seroconversion and viral clearance. Histopathological examinations of liver biopsies revealed mild, periportally accentuated infiltrations of lymphocytes, macrophages, and plasma cells with some horses displaying subclinical signs of hepatitis. Following viral challenge, an activation of equine immune responses was observed. Importantly, after a primary NPHV infection, horses were protected against rechallenge with the homologous as well as a distinct isolate with only minute amounts of circulating virus being detectable.

Sofosbuvir-based treatment regimens: real life results of 14 409 chronic HCV genotype 4 patients in Egypt

BACKGROUND

Chronic hepatitis C virus infection is one of the most important health problems in Egypt. The Ministry of Health's National Treatment Programme introduced sofosbuvir-based therapy in October 2014.

AIM

To assess the clinical effectiveness and predictors of response to SOF-based treatment regimens, either dual therapy, with SOF/ribavirin (RBV) for 6 months or triple therapy with SOF/peg-IFN-alfa-2a/RBV for 3 months, in a cohort of patients treated in National Treatment Programme affiliated centres in Egypt.

METHODS

Between October 2014 and end of 2014, patients who were eligible for treatment were classified according to their eligibility for interferon therapy: Group 1 (interferon eligible) were treated with triple therapy for 12 weeks and Group 2 (interferon ineligible) were treated with dual therapy for 24 weeks. Difficult to treat patients included those with F3-F4 on Metavir score, Fib-4 >3.25, albumin ≤3.5, total Bilirubin >1.2 mg/dL, INR >1.2 and platelet count <150 000 mm³ .

RESULTS

Twelve weeks post-treatment data were available on 14 409 patients; 8742 in group 1 and 5667 in group 2. In group 1, the sustained virological response at week 12 (SVR12) was 94% and in group 2 the SVR12 was 78.7%. Multivariate logistic regression analysis in which treatment failure is the dependent variable was done. Male gender, being a difficult to treat patient and previous interferon therapy were significant predictors of nonresponse in both treatment groups.

CONCLUSION

Results of sofosbuvir-based therapies in Egypt achieved similar rates of SVR12 as seen in phase III efficacy studies.