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Updated: Jan 24, 2026

Measurement of the Hepatic Venous Pressure Gradient and Transjugular Liver Biopsy
Published on: June 18, 2020
Liver-related events and mortality among elderly patients with advanced chronic hepatitis C treated with
Iria Rodríguez-Osorio1,2, Alvaro Mena1,2, Héctor Meijide1,3
1Grupo de Virología Clínica, Instituto de Investigación Biomédica de A Coruña (INIBIC)-Complexo Hospitalario Universitario de A Coruña (CHUAC), Sergas, Universidade da Coruña (UDC), A Coruña, Spain.
Background:
Direct-acting antivirals (DAAs) are effective in patients aged ≥65 years. However, little is known about the effects of DAAs on survival, liver decompensation and development of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC).
Objective:
To compare the incidence of liver-related events and mortality between patients aged ≥65 and <65 years.
Methods:
Prospective study comparing patients aged ≥65 and <65 years treated with DAAs. The incidence of liver-related events and mortality, and HCC was compared between age groups.
Results:
Five hundred patients (120 aged ≥65 and 380 aged <65 years) were included. The incidence of liver-related events was 2.62 per 100 patient-years (py) in older and 1.41/100 py in younger patients. All-cause mortality was 3.89 and 1.27/100 py in older and younger patients, respectively. The respective liver-related mortality rates were 1.12 and 0.31/100 py. In patients with cirrhosis (stage F4), all-cause mortality (P = 0.283) and liver-related mortality (P = 0.254) did not differ between groups. All five liver-related deaths were related to multifocal HCC. The incidence of HCC was 1.91 and 1.43 per 100 py in the older and younger groups, respectively (P = 0.747). The diagnosis of HCC was 8 months after the end of treatment.
Conclusions:
The incidence of liver-related events and liver-related mortality was low in older people treated with DAAs and was similar to that in younger patients. The extra mortality in people aged ≥65 years treated with DAAs seems to be secondary to non-liver-related causes. These results support the utilization of DAAs in patients aged ≥65 years.
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