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Patients with chronic hepatitis C receiving treatment with direct acting antivirals: How is this population changing?

Andrea Lombardi1, Marta Colaneri2, Kesav Aditya Vijayagopal2

  • 1Infectious Diseases I Unit, IRCCS "San Matteo", Via Taramelli 5, 27100 Pavia, Italy; Infectious Diseases I Unit, IRCCS "San Matteo", Pavia, Italy.

Digestive and Liver Disease : Official Journal of the Italian Society of Gastroenterology and the Italian Association for the Study of the Liver
|August 1, 2020
PubMed

Insights

Direct acting antiviral agents (DAAs) have transformed hepatitis C treatment. Patients receiving DAAs are older with more comorbidities, but sustained virological response (SVR) rates remain high.

Area of Science:

  • Hepatology
  • Infectious Diseases
  • Pharmacotherapy

Background:

  • Direct acting antiviral agents (DAAs) have revolutionized chronic hepatitis C (CHC) treatment.
  • Understanding evolving patient demographics and treatment outcomes is crucial.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To analyze changes in patient characteristics and sustained virological response (SVR) rates among CHC patients treated with DAAs over time.
  • To assess the impact of demographic and clinical shifts on treatment efficacy.

Main Methods:

  • Retrospective analysis of 2565 CHC patients treated with DAAs from 2015 onwards.
  • Stratification of demographic, clinical, and virological characteristics and SVR rates by treatment year.

Main Results:

  • Patient population aged significantly (59.8 to 62.2 years) and showed increased comorbidities (p<0.001).
  • Proportion of men and cirrhotic patients decreased, while foreign-born patient numbers trended upward.
  • Sustained virological response (SVR) rates significantly increased from 93.4% in 2015 to 97.1% in 2018 (p<0.05).

Conclusions:

  • The CHC patient cohort receiving DAAs is aging and presenting with more comorbidities.
  • Despite these changes, high SVR rates were maintained, indicating the continued effectiveness of DAAs.
Abstract

Keywords:
AgeingChronic hepatitis CComorbiditiesDirect acting antivirals

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