Clinical efficacy of Direct Acting Antivirals (DAAs) for Treatment of Recurrent Hepatitis C Virus infection After Liver Transplantation

BACKGROUND & AIMS Recurrent hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection of transplanted liver allografts is universal in patients with detectable HCV viremia at the time of transplantation. Directacting antiviral (DAA) therapy has been adopted as the standard of care for recurrent HCV infection in the post-transplant setting. However, there are insufficient data regarding its efficacy in liver transplant (LT) recipients with a history of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), and the risk of HCC recurrence after DAA therapy is unknown. In this study, we aimed to demonstrate predictors of DAA treatment failure and HCC recurrence in LT recipients. METHODS A total of 106 LT recipients given DAAs for recurrent HCV infection from 2015 to 2019 were identified (68 with and 38 without HCC). Descriptive statistics and logistic regression models were used to estimate the multivariate odds ratios and respective 95% confidence intervals for predictors of treatment failure and HCC recurrence. RESULTS Six patients (6%) experienced DAA therapy failure and 100 (94%) had a sustained virologic response at follow-up week 12 (SVR12). A high alanine transaminase level >35 U/L at treatment week 4 was a significant predictor of treatment failure. DAA failure at follow-up week 12 was significantly associated with post-transplantation HCC recurrence, (odds ratio, 10.6 [95% confidence interval, 1.0-121.6]; P = .05). CONCLUSIONS DAAs are effective and safe in the treatment of recurrent HCV infection in LT recipients with history of HCC. Lack of SVR12 is a predictor of post-transplantation HCC recurrence.

Sofosbuvir and daclatasvir are safe and effective in treatment of recurrent hepatitis C virus in Egyptian patients underwent living donor liver transplantation

Background Liver transplant population has been considered as a special population in the treatment of hepatitis C virus infection, not only because of lower sustained virological response (SVR) rates in comparison with pretransplant setting, but also for other aspects (i.e., immunosuppressive therapy, renal function, drug–drug interactions). We aimed to evaluate the efficacy and safety of the combined treatment with sofosbuvir and daclatasvir with or without ribavirin in liver transplant recipients with recurrent hepatitis C following transplantation and screening for the development of hepatocellular carcinoma during treatment, after the end of treatment, or during follow-up. This multicenteric prospective study was conducted in Egypt. This study included 40 patients who underwent living donor liver transplantation that started treatment at least 3 months following transplantation. All participants received 400 mg sofosbuvir once daily plus daclatasvir 60 mg daily ± ribavirin. Treatment lasted for up to 24 weeks, and participants were followed up as outpatients monthly for 12 and 24 weeks and 36 weeks post-treatment to determine sustained virological response (SVR12 and SVR24), considered to be a cure and detection of any changes in tumor markers or radiological imaging during follow-up. Results In the current study, 40 patients (100%) have good response to treatment during treatment and during follow-up (SVR 12 was 100%). No abnormal side effects to treatment were detected; also, no drug–drug interactions were noted during the treatment. Conclusions Treatment of HCV after living donor liver transplantation with combined sofosbuvir and daclatasvir is safe and well-tolerated and provides high rates of SVR.

Evaluation of Different Regimens of New Direct Acting Antiviral drugs (DAAs) for treatment of Recurrent Hepatitis C Virus Infection after Liver Transplantation

Aim of the work To compare between different available regimens of DAAs (sofosbuvir/ daclatasvir and sofosbuvir / ledipasvir) regarding the efficacy and safety for treatment of compensated recurrent hepatitis C Virus infection after liver transplantation in Egyptian patients and to study the correlation between sofosbuvir / daclatasvir and sofosbuvir / ledipasvir and post-transplant complications. Background Liver transplantation is the only curative treatment for ESLD and HCC. Liver disease resulting from chronic HCV infection is the leading indication for liver transplantation. For patients with detectable HCV-RNA levels at the time of transplantation, postoperative recurrence of HCV infection was “immediate and universal.” Recurrent HCV infection follows an aggressive course and retransplantation frequently is associated with a poor outcome. Patients and Methods This prospective study was conducted on recipients, who underwent living donor liver transplantation in Ain Shams Center for Organ Transplantation (ASCOT) at Ain Shams University Specialized Hospital (ASUSH), Cairo, Egypt between June, 2016 and May, 2017. Data of the recipients, who underwent living donor liver transplantation during the study period, were reviewed and the patients who fulfilled the inclusion criteria were enrolled into this study. The patients who fulfilled the inclusion criteria and received antiviral treatment were followed up monthly during their treatment and after finishing treatment for at least 3 months. Results Treatment of HCV recurrence in liver transplant recipients with SOF+DCV+RBV or SOF/LDV+RBV seems to confer high rates of SVR. There was no difference between both regimens regarding adverse events. Prolonged treatment of HCV recurrence after LDLT (24 weeks) was significantly associated with a higher SVR (P = 0.035). Conclusion Adding RBV to antiviral regimens in the treatment of HCV recurrence in liver transplant recipients doesn’t seem to add to the efficacy of DAAs. Adherence to prolonged course of antiviral treatment (6 months) when treating HCV recurrence post liver transplantation seems to be associated with higher rates of SVR than shorter course (3 months) with no increase in the incidence of adverse events or rejection episodes.