Assessment and Management of the Dermatological Side Effects of Direct-Acting Antiviral Agent Groups Used in the Treatment of Hepatitis C: A Prospective Study

Background & Aims: Literature data suggest that HCV genotype-1b is present in 93-99% of the Romanian patients infected with hepatitis C virus (HCV). We present the genotyping tests recently performed on patients with HCV and advanced fibrosis eligible for the Direct-Acting Antiviral (DAA) therapy, as well as the prevalence of these cases across Romania.Methods: The genotyping method was performed on 7,421 HCV patients with advanced fibrosis. The detection method was automatic real time PCR platform M2000 (Abbott). Every subject was introduced into a database including age, sex, county and address.Results: Genotype 1b was almost exclusively present: 7,392/7,421 (99.6%). Genotype 1b patients were 19.6% from Bucharest, 49% were males, with a median age of 60 years. Genotype non-1b was encountered in 29/7,421 subjects (0.4%), 62% were males, 69% from Bucharest and the median age was 52 years. Most of the subjects (75%) were in the 6th and 7th age decade. The prevalence of these cases varied significantly across Romanian counties: the highest was in Bucharest (61.3/105), Bihor (47/105), Iasi (46/105) and Constanța (43/105), and the lowest in Ilfov (2.8/105), Harghita (3.7/105), Covasna (5.4/105) and Maramureș (8.8/105) (p<0.001).Conclusions: Genotype 1b is encountered in 99.6% of patients with chronic hepatitis C and advanced fibrosis from Romania. The presence of genotypes non-1b is more common in Bucharest, in males and at a younger age. There are significant differences regarding the distribution of these cases across Romania: the highest rates are in Bucharest, Bihor, Iasi and Constanta.Abbreviations: BMI: body mass index; DAA: direct-acting antiviral agent; GT: genotype; HBV: hepatitis B virus; HCC: hepatocellular carcinoma; HCV: hepatitis C virus; IDU: intravenous drug users; MELD: model for end stage liver disease; NASH: non-alcoholic steatohepatitis; SVR; sustained virologic response.

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Factors Attenuating Zinc Deficiency Improvement in Direct-Acting Antiviral Agent-Treated Chronic Hepatitis C Virus Infection

Nutrients ◽

10.3390/nu10111620 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 10 (11) ◽

pp. 1620 ◽

Cited By ~ 5

Author(s):

Yi-Ling Ko ◽

Daisuke Morihara ◽

Kumiko Shibata ◽

Ryo Yamauchi ◽

Hiromi Fukuda ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Chronic Hepatitis ◽

Hepatitis C ◽

Chronic Hepatitis C ◽

Zinc Deficiency ◽

Dietary Habits ◽

Serum Zinc ◽

Antiviral Agent ◽

Zinc Status ◽

Direct Acting Antiviral ◽

Direct Acting

Zinc deficiency is frequently observed in chronic liver diseases. However, no studies have focused on the zinc status in chronic hepatitis C (HCV)-infected patients receiving direct-acting antiviral agents (DAAs). In this retrospective study, we assessed the serum zinc status in DAA-treated HCV patients with sustained virologic response for over two years (Zn-2y). Ninety-five patients were enrolled, whose baseline characteristics and blood parameters at DAA therapy initiation were collected. Baseline Zn < 65 µg/dL (odds ratio (OR) = 10.56, p < 0.001) and baseline uric acid (UA) > 5.5 mg/dL (OR = 9.99, p = 0.001) were independent risk factors for Zn-2y deficiency. A decision-tree algorithm classified low-baseline Zn and high-baseline UA as the first two variables, suggesting that baseline hypozincemia and hyperuricemia are prognosticators for long-term zinc deficiency. Baseline Zn was negatively correlated with the Fibrosis-4 (FIB-4) index, while baseline UA was significantly higher in habitual alcohol drinkers. In conclusion, serum zinc levels should be closely monitored, considering that zinc status improvement is related to liver fibrosis regression. Hyperuricemia indicates risks of developing metabolic disorders and subsequent zinc deficiency, for which an adjustment of personal lifestyle or dietary habits should be recommended clinically.

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Hepatitis B virus reactivation during direct-acting antiviral agent-based therapy for chronic Hepatitis C

The Turkish Journal of Gastroenterology ◽

10.5152/tjg.2020.18082 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 31 (4) ◽

pp. 344-345

Author(s):

Ertugrul Guclu ◽

◽

Sevgi Alan ◽

Oguz Karabay ◽

◽

...

Keyword(s):

Chronic Hepatitis ◽

Hepatitis C ◽

Hepatitis B Virus ◽

Antiviral Agent ◽

Virus Reactivation ◽

Agent Based ◽

Hepatitis B Virus Reactivation ◽

Direct Acting Antiviral ◽

B Virus ◽

Direct Acting

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Treatment of hepatitis C virus infection with direct-acting antiviral agent-based regimens in Iranian patients with hereditary bleeding disorders

Virology Journal ◽

10.1186/s12985-021-01659-0 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 18 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Heidar Sharafi ◽

Bita Behnava ◽

Alireza Azizi-saraji ◽

Ali Namvar ◽

Ali Anvar ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Hepatitis C ◽

Antiviral Agent ◽

Previous Treatment ◽

Virologic Response ◽

Bleeding Disorders ◽

Hcv Genotype ◽

Direct Acting Antiviral ◽

Treatment Naïve ◽

Hcv Genotype 1 ◽

Direct Acting

Abstract Background Chronic hepatitis C (CHC) is one of the most important comorbidities in patients with hereditary bleeding disorders (HBD). The present study aimed at evaluating the effectiveness of direct-acting antiviral agent (DAA)-based interferon-free HCV antiviral regimens in patients with HBD. Patients and methods The present study was performed on the patients with HBD and CHC between 2015 and 2019. Sofosbuvir-based interferon-free regimens with or without ribavirin were prescribed to treat HCV infection. The main endpoint of the study was to determine the sustained virologic response (SVR), assessed 12 weeks after the completion of treatment. Results A total of 147 patients with a mean age of 41.1 years were enrolled in the study; 4.1% of them were co-infected with HIV, 25.2% had cirrhosis, and 76.9% of them were diagnosed with hemophilia A. HCV genotype-1 includes the largest number (68.1%) of patients. 46.3% of patients were treatment-naïve and others had a treatment history with interferon-based regimens. Out of 147 patients, 15 patients were lost to follow-up during treatment or for SVR evaluation or discontinued treatment. 132 subjects completed treatment and were evaluated for SVR, 12 weeks after the completion of treatment. All of the patients achieved SVR 12 (SVR rate: 100%, 95% CI 97.2–100%). Conclusion Hepatitis C DAA-based regimens are the effective treatments for CHC in patients with HBD, regardless of the treatment modifiers such as previous treatment experience, cirrhosis, HIV co-infection, and HCV genotype.

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Statin (3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl-coenzyme A reductase inhibitor)-based therapy for hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection-related diseases in the era of direct-acting antiviral agents

F1000Research ◽

10.12688/f1000research.7970.2 ◽

2016 ◽

Vol 5 ◽

pp. 223 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Sara Sobhy Kishta ◽

Reem El-Shenawy ◽

Sobhy Ahmed Kishta

Keyword(s):

Clinical Trials ◽

Hepatitis C Virus ◽

Hepatitis C ◽

Antiviral Agents ◽

Antiviral Agent ◽

Viral Clearance ◽

Hcv Infection ◽

Direct Acting Antiviral ◽

Direct Acting ◽

Direct Acting Antiviral Agents

Recent improvements have been made in the treatment of hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection with the introduction of direct-acting antiviral agents (DAAs). However, despite successful viral clearance, many patients continue to have HCV-related disease progression. Therefore, new treatments must be developed to achieve viral clearance and prevent the risk of HCV-related diseases. In particular, the use of pitavastatin together with DAAs may improve the antiviral efficacy as well as decrease the progression of liver fibrosis and the incidence of HCV-related hepatocellular carcinoma. To investigate the management methods for HCV-related diseases using pitavastatin and DAAs, clinical trials should be undertaken. However, concerns have been raised about potential drug interactions between statins and DAAs. Therefore, pre-clinical trials using a replicon system, human hepatocyte-like cells, human neurons and human cardiomyocytes from human-induced pluripotent stem cells should be conducted. Based on these pre-clinical trials, an optimal direct-acting antiviral agent could be selected for combination with pitavastatin and DAAs. Following the pre-clinical trial, the combination of pitavastatin and the optimal direct-acting antiviral agent should be compared to other combinations of DAAs (e.g., sofosbuvir and velpatasvir) according to the antiviral effect on HCV infection, HCV-related diseases and cost-effectiveness.

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