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Dobrowolska K, Brzdęk M, Rzymski P, Flisiak R, Pawłowska M, Janczura J, Brzdęk K, Zarębska-Michaluk D. Revolutionizing hepatitis C treatment: next-gen direct-acting antivirals. Expert Opin Pharmacother 2024:1-20. [PMID: 38768013 DOI: 10.1080/14656566.2024.2358139] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/11/2024] [Accepted: 05/17/2024] [Indexed: 05/22/2024]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION With the introduction of highly effective and safe therapies with next-generation direct-acting antivirals (DAAs), that act without interferon, hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection remains the only treatable chronic infectious disease. AREAS COVERED The review aims to provide an overview of the therapy revolution with a description of specific DAAs, their mechanisms of action, a summary of the safety and efficacy of specific regimens, and a discussion of populations requiring special therapeutic approaches. EXPERT OPINION DAAs are highly effective, safe, and easy to use. However, challenges such as access to health services and loss of patients from the cascade of care, especially in groups disproportionately affected by HCV infection, such as substance abusers, make it difficult to achieve the WHO's goal of HCV elimination. The proposed strategy to combat these difficulties involves a one-step approach to diagnosing and treating the infection, the availability of long-lasting forms of medication, and the development of an effective vaccine. The aforementioned opportunities are all the more important as the world is facing an opioid epidemic that is translating into an increase in HCV prevalence. This phenomenon is of greatest concern in women of childbearing age and in those already pregnant due to treatment limitations.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Michał Brzdęk
- Collegium Medicum, Jan Kochanowski University, Kielce, Poland
| | - Piotr Rzymski
- Department of Environmental Medicine, Poznan University of Medical Sciences, Poznan, Poland
| | - Robert Flisiak
- Department of Infectious Diseases and Hepatology, Medical University of Białystok, Białystok, Poland
| | - Małgorzata Pawłowska
- Department of Infectious Diseases and Hepatology, Faculty of Medicine, Collegium Medicum Bydgoszcz, Nicolaus Copernicus University, Toruń, Poland
| | - Jakub Janczura
- Collegium Medicum, Jan Kochanowski University, Kielce, Poland
| | - Kinga Brzdęk
- Collegium Medicum, Jan Kochanowski University, Kielce, Poland
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Brzdęk M, Zarębska-Michaluk D, Rzymski P, Lorenc B, Kazek A, Tudrujek-Zdunek M, Janocha-Litwin J, Mazur W, Dybowska D, Berak H, Parfieniuk-Kowerda A, Klapaczyński J, Sitko M, Sobala-Szczygieł B, Piekarska A, Flisiak R. Changes in characteristics of patients with hepatitis C virus-related cirrhosis from the beginning of the interferon-free era. World J Gastroenterol 2023; 29:2015-2033. [PMID: 37155527 PMCID: PMC10122793 DOI: 10.3748/wjg.v29.i13.2015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/21/2022] [Revised: 01/16/2023] [Accepted: 03/20/2023] [Indexed: 04/06/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Nearly 290000 patients with chronic hepatitis C die annually from the most severe complications of the disease. One of them is liver cirrhosis, which occurs in about 20% of patients chronically infected with the hepatitis C virus (HCV). Direct-acting antivirals (DAAs), which replaced interferon (IFN)-based regimens, significantly improved the prognosis of this group of patients, increasing HCV eradication rates and tolerability of therapy. Our study is the first to assess changes in patient profile, effectiveness, and safety in the HCV-infected cirrhotic population in the IFN-free era.
AIM To document changes in patient characteristics and treatment regimens along with their effectiveness and safety profile over the years.
METHODS The studied patients were selected from 14801 chronically HCV-infected individuals who started IFN-free therapy between July 2015 and December 2021 in 22 Polish hepatology centers. The retrospective analysis was conducted in real-world clinical practice based on the EpiTer-2 multicenter database. The measure of treatment effectiveness was the percentage of sustained virologic response (SVR) calculated after excluding patients lost to follow-up. Safety data collected during therapy and the 12-wk post-treatment period included information on adverse events, including serious ones, deaths, and treatment course.
RESULTS The studied population (n = 3577) was balanced in terms of gender in 2015-2017, while the following years showed the dominance of men. The decline in the median age from 60 in 2015-2016 to 57 years in 2021 was accompanied by a decrease in the percentage of patients with comorbidities and comedications. Treatment-experienced patients dominated in 2015-2016, while treatment-naive individuals gained an advantage in 2017 and reached 93.2% in 2021. Genotype (GT)-specific options were more prevalent in treatment in 2015-2018 and were supplanted by pangenotypic combinations in subsequent years. The effectiveness of the therapy was comparable regardless of the period analyzed, and patients achieved an overall response rate of 95%, with an SVR range of 72.9%-100% for the different therapeutic regimens. Male gender, GT3 infection, and prior treatment failure were identified as independent negative predictors of therapeutic success.
CONCLUSION We have documented changes in the profile of HCV-infected cirrhotic patients over the years of accessibility to changing DAA regimens, confirming the high effectiveness of IFN-free therapy in all analyzed periods.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michał Brzdęk
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Jan Kochanowski University, Kielce 25-317, Poland
| | | | - Piotr Rzymski
- Department of Environmental Medicine, Poznan University of Medical Sciences, Poznań 60-806, Poland
- Integrated Science Association, Universal Scientific Education and Research Network, Poznań 60-806, Poland
| | - Beata Lorenc
- Pomeranian Center of Infectious Diseases, Medical University Gdańsk, Gdańsk 80-214, Poland
| | | | | | - Justyna Janocha-Litwin
- Department of Infectious Diseases and Hepatology, Medical University Wrocław, Wrocław 50-367, Poland
| | - Włodzimierz Mazur
- Clinical Department of Infectious Diseases, Clinical University of Silesia in Katowice, Chorzów 41-500, Poland
| | - Dorota Dybowska
- Department of Infectious Diseases and Hepatology, Faculty of Medicine, Nicolaus Copernicus University, Bydgoszcz 85-030, Poland
| | - Hanna Berak
- Daily Department, Hospital for Infectious Diseases in Warsaw, Warszawa 01-201, Poland
| | - Anna Parfieniuk-Kowerda
- Department of Infectious Diseases and Hepatology, Medical University of Białystok, Białystok 15-089, Poland
| | - Jakub Klapaczyński
- Department of Internal Medicine and Hepatology, Central Clinical Hospital of the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Administration, Warszawa 00-241, Poland
| | - Marek Sitko
- Department of Infectious and Tropical Diseases, Jagiellonian University, Kraków 31-088, Poland
| | - Barbara Sobala-Szczygieł
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Medical University of Silesia in Katowice, Bytom 41-902, Poland
| | - Anna Piekarska
- Department of Infectious Diseases and Hepatology, Medical University of Łódź, Łódź 90-419, Poland
| | - Robert Flisiak
- Department of Infectious Diseases and Hepatology, Medical University of Białystok, Białystok 15-089, Poland
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Naylor P, Minawala R, Wong K, Ehrinpreis MN, Mutchnick M. Racial Disparity in HCV Demographics and Treatment Between Interferon Era (2002-2003) and Direct Acting Anti-viral Era (2019). Cureus 2023; 15:e36643. [PMID: 37155445 PMCID: PMC10122955 DOI: 10.7759/cureus.36643] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 03/24/2023] [Indexed: 05/10/2023] Open
Abstract
Introduction Direct-acting antiviral (DAA) treatment increased the sustained viral response (SVR) rate of patients with the hepatitis C virus (HCV) and eliminated response disparities between African American (AA) and non-AA patients seen with interferon (IFN). The aim of this study was to compare 2019 HCV patients (DAA era) to patients from January 1, 2002 and December 31, 2003 (IFN era) in our predominantly AA clinic population. Methods We extracted data on 585 HCV patients seen in 2019 (DAA era) and compared them to 402 patients seen in the IFN era. Results Most HCV patients were born between 1945 and 1965, but in the DAA era more younger patients were identified. Non-AA patients in both eras were less likely to be infected with genotype 1 compared to AA (95% vs 54%, P<0.001). Fibrosis was not increased in the DAA Era as compared to the IFN era as assessed either by serum-based assays (APRI, FIB-4) or transient elastography (FibroScan) (DAA era) vs biopsy (IFN era). More patients were treated in 2019 compared to 2002-2003 (159/585=27% vs 5/402=1%). For untreated patients, subsequent treatment within one year of the initial visit was low and similar in both eras (35%). Conclusion There continues to be a need to screen patients born between 1945 and 1965 for HCV as well as to identify increasing numbers of patients below this age cohort. Even though current therapies are oral, highly effective, and can be 8-12 weeks in duration, significant numbers of patients were not treated within a year of first visit.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paul Naylor
- Gastroenterology, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, USA
| | - Ria Minawala
- Internal Medicine, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, USA
| | - Katherine Wong
- Gastroenterology, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, USA
| | | | - Milton Mutchnick
- Gastroenterology, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, USA
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Brzdęk M, Zarębska-Michaluk D, Invernizzi F, Cilla M, Dobrowolska K, Flisiak R. Decade of optimizing therapy with direct-acting antiviral drugs and the changing profile of patients with chronic hepatitis C. World J Gastroenterol 2023; 29:949-966. [PMID: 36844142 PMCID: PMC9950869 DOI: 10.3748/wjg.v29.i6.949] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/12/2022] [Revised: 11/22/2022] [Accepted: 01/09/2023] [Indexed: 02/10/2023] Open
Abstract
Chronic infection with the hepatitis C virus (HCV) remains a major health problem affecting approximately 58 million people worldwide. In the era of interferon (IFN)-based regimens, patients particularly infected with genotypes 1 and 4 achieved a low response rate. The implementation of direct-acting antivirals changed the landscape of HCV treatment. The increase in effectiveness provided us with the hope of eliminating HCV as a significant public threat by 2030. In the following years, there was an observed improvement in the treatment of HCV with genotype-specific regimens and highly effective pangenotypic options that are the most recent stage of the revolution. The optimization of therapy was accompanied by changes in the patient profile from the beginning of the IFN-free era over time. Patients treated with antiviral therapies were younger in successive periods, less burdened with comorbidities and comedications, more frequently treatment-naïve and had less advanced liver disease. Before the IFN-free era, specific subpopulations such as patients with HCV/HIV coinfection, those with a history of previous treatment, patients with renal impairment or with cirrhosis had lower chances for a virologic response. Currently, these populations should no longer be considered difficult to treat. Despite the high effectiveness of HCV therapy, there is a small percentage of patients with treatment failure. However, they can be effectively retreated with pangenotypic rescue regimens.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michał Brzdęk
- Collegium Medicum, Jan Kochanowski University, Kielce 25-516, Poland
| | | | - Federica Invernizzi
- Center for Liver Disease, Division of Internal Medicine and Hepatology, IRCCS Ospedale San Raffaele, Milan 20-132, Italy
| | - Marta Cilla
- Center for Liver Disease, Division of Internal Medicine and Hepatology, IRCCS Ospedale San Raffaele, Milan 20-132, Italy
| | | | - Robert Flisiak
- Department of Infectious Diseases and Hepatology, Medical University of Białystok, Białystok 15-540, Poland
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Zarębska-Michaluk D, Brzdęk M, Jaroszewicz J, Tudrujek-Zdunek M, Lorenc B, Klapaczyński J, Mazur W, Kazek A, Sitko M, Berak H, Janocha-Litwin J, Dybowska D, Supronowicz Ł, Krygier R, Citko J, Piekarska A, Flisiak R. Best therapy for the easiest to treat hepatitis C virus genotype 1b-infected patients. World J Gastroenterol 2022; 28:6380-6396. [PMID: 36533109 PMCID: PMC9753050 DOI: 10.3748/wjg.v28.i45.6380] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/26/2022] [Revised: 10/01/2022] [Accepted: 11/19/2022] [Indexed: 12/02/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The revolution in treatment of patients with chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection dates back to the introduction of direct-acting antivirals (DAAs). The increase in efficacy was most pronounced in patients infected with genotype (GT) 1b, as this was the most poorly responsive population to treatment during the interferon era.
AIM To identify the most effective interferon-free therapy for GT1b-infected patients and to determine positive and negative predictors of virological response.
METHODS This real-world retrospective analysis included patients chronically infected with GT1b HCV whose data were obtained from the multicenter observational EpiTer-2 database. Treatment effectiveness was evaluated for each therapeutic regimen as the percentage of sustained virological responses (SVR). Assessment of the safety was based on the evaluation of the course of therapy, the occurrence of adverse events including serious ones, deaths during treatment and in the post 12-wk follow-up period.
RESULTS The studied population consisted of 11385 patients with a mean age of 53 ± 14.8 years and a female predominance (53.4%). The majority of them were treatment-naïve (74.6%) and patients with cirrhosis accounted for 24.3%. Of the DAA regimens used, 76.9% were GT-specific with ombitasvir/paritaprevir/ritonavir + dasabuvir ± ribavirin being the most used option (32.4%). A total of 10903 patients responded to treatment resulting in a 98.1% in the per-protocol analysis after excluding 273 patients without SVR data. The effectiveness of all regimens exceeded 90% and the highest SVR of 98.9% was achieved in patients treated with a combination of glecaprevir/pibrentasvir. Logistic regression analyses showed that the virologic response was independently associated with female sex [odds ratio (OR) = 1.67], absence of decompensated cirrhosis at baseline (OR = 2.42) and higher baseline platelets (OR = 1.004 per 1000/μL increase), while the presence of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) coinfection significantly decreased the odds of response (OR = 0.39). About 95%-100% of patients completed therapy irrespective of the drug regimen. At least one adverse effect occurred in 10.9%-36.3% and most of them were mild. No treatment related deaths have been reported.
CONCLUSION We documented very high effectiveness and a good safety profile across all DAA regimens. Positive predictors of SVR were female sex, absence of decompensated cirrhosis at baseline and higher platelet count while HIV coinfection reduced the effectiveness.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Michał Brzdęk
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Jan Kochanowski University, Kielce 25-317, Poland
| | - Jerzy Jaroszewicz
- Department of Infectious Diseases and Hepatology, Medical University of Silesia, Katowice 40-055, Poland
| | | | - Beata Lorenc
- Pomeranian Center of Infectious Diseases, Medical University Gdańsk, Gdańsk 80-214, Poland
| | - Jakub Klapaczyński
- Department of Internal Medicine and Hepatology, Central Clinical Hospital of the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Administration, Warszawa 00-241, Poland
| | - Włodzimierz Mazur
- Clinical Department of Infectious Diseases, Medical University of Silesia, Chorzów 41-500, Poland
| | | | - Marek Sitko
- Department of Infectious and Tropical Diseases, Jagiellonian University, Kraków 31-088, Poland
| | - Hanna Berak
- Hospital for Infectious Diseases, Hospital for Infectious Diseases, Warszawa 02-091, Poland
| | - Justyna Janocha-Litwin
- Department of Infectious Diseases and Hepatology, Medical University Wrocław, Wrocław 50-367, Poland
| | - Dorota Dybowska
- Department of Infectious Diseases and Hepatology, Faculty of Medicine, Nicolaus Copernicus University, Bydgoszcz 85-030, Poland
| | - Łukasz Supronowicz
- Department of Infectious Diseases and Hepatology, Medical University of Białystok, Białystok 15-089, Poland
| | - Rafał Krygier
- Infectious Diseases and Hepatology Outpatient Clinic, Gemini NZOZ, Żychlin 62-571, Poland
| | - Jolanta Citko
- Medical Practice of Infections, Regional Hospital, Olsztyn 10-561, Poland
| | - Anna Piekarska
- Department of Infectious Diseases and Hepatology, Medical University Łódź, Łódź 90-419, Poland
| | - Robert Flisiak
- Department of Infectious Diseases and Hepatology, Medical University of Białystok, Białystok 15-089, Poland
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Significant Decrease in the Prevalence of Anxiety and Depression after Hepatitis C Eradication. J Clin Med 2022; 11:jcm11113044. [PMID: 35683432 PMCID: PMC9181745 DOI: 10.3390/jcm11113044] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/05/2022] [Revised: 05/23/2022] [Accepted: 05/26/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Chronic hepatitis C (CHC) is an ongoing epidemiological problem. The hepatitis C virus (HCV) may infect brain tissue, worsening mental health outcomes. The new era of highly effective oral Direct-Acting Agents (DAA) has brought a chance to eradicate the infection by 2030, however, screening campaigns are urgently needed as the majority of the infected are still undiagnosed. The aim of this study was to assess the prevalence of anxiety and depression among HCV patients, and the correlation with health-related quality of life (HRQoL) in the real-world setting, before and after DAA treatment. Data on anxiety, depression, and HRQoL, were collected by using self-reported questionnaires in a single center in Poland. The study group involved 90 respondents, 50% female, with a mean age of 43.8 years. HCV eradication decreased anxiety prevalence from 30.4% to 19.1% and depression from 35.2% to 18.2%. Significant improvement in 3 out of 4 of the WHOQOL-BREF (TheWorld Health Organization Quality of Life-BREF) domains and 8 out of 10 of the HQLQv.2 domains was obtained. Anxiety diminished the somatic domain scores by 3.5 (p < 0.0001), psychological by 2.3 (p = 0.0062), social by 1.75 (p = 0.0008), and environmental by 2.68 points (p = 0.0029). Depression diminished the somatic domain scores by 3.79 (p < 0.001), psychological by 2.23 (p < 0.001), social by 1.84 (p < 0.001), and environmental by 2.42 points (p = 0.004). In the Hepatitis Quality of Life Questionnaire version 2 (HQLQ v.2), the presence of depression and/or anxiety-impaired mental health, physical health, well-being, and vitality. These results indicate the need for an active search for HCV-infective people, especially among patients in psychiatric and psychological care.
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HCV Elimination in Central Europe with Particular Emphasis on Microelimination in Prisons. Viruses 2022; 14:v14030482. [PMID: 35336889 PMCID: PMC8952509 DOI: 10.3390/v14030482] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/29/2021] [Revised: 02/13/2022] [Accepted: 02/25/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
In 2016, the WHO announced a plan to eliminate viral hepatitis as a public health threat by 2030. In this narrative review, experts from Bulgaria, Croatia, the Czech Republic, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland and Slovakia assessed the feasibility of achieving the WHO 2030 target for HCV infections in Central Europe. They focused mainly on HCV micro-elimination in prisons, where the highest incidence of HCV infections is usually observed, and the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the detection and treatment of HCV infections. According to the presented estimates, almost 400,000 people remain infected with HCV in the analyzed countries. Interferon-free therapies are available ad libitum, but the number of patients treated annually in the last two years has halved compared to 2017–2019, mainly due to the COVID-19 pandemic. None of the countries analyzed had implemented a national HCV screening program or a prison screening program. The main reason is a lack of will at governmental and prison levels. None of the countries analyzed see any chance of meeting the WHO targets for removing viral hepatitis from the public threat list by 2030, unless barriers such as a lack of political will and a lack of screening programs are removed quickly.
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Zarębska-Michaluk D. Genotype 3-hepatitis C virus’ last line of defense. World J Gastroenterol 2021; 27:1006-1021. [PMID: 33776369 PMCID: PMC7985731 DOI: 10.3748/wjg.v27.i11.1006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/11/2021] [Revised: 01/24/2021] [Accepted: 03/01/2021] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Chronic infection with hepatitis C virus (HCV) is one of the leading causes of liver disease globally, affecting approximately 71 million people. The majority of them are infected with genotype (GT) 1 but infections with GT3 are second in frequency. For many years, GT3 was considered to be less pathogenic compared to other GTs in the HCV family due to its favorable response to interferon (IFN)-based regimen. However, the growing evidence of a higher rate of steatosis, more rapid progression of liver fibrosis, and lower efficacy of antiviral treatment compared to infection with other HCV GTs has changed this conviction. This review presents the specifics of the course of GT3 infection and the development of therapeutic options for GT3-infected patients in the era of direct-acting antivirals (DAA). The way from a standard of care therapy with pegylated IFN-alpha (pegIFNα) and ribavirin (RBV) through a triple combination of pegIFNα + RBV and DAA to the highly potent IFN-free pangenotypic DAA regimens is discussed along with some treatment options which appeared to be dead ends. Although the implementation of highly effective pangenotypic regimens is the most recent stage of revolution in the treatment of GT3 infection, there is still room for improvement, especially in patients with liver cirrhosis and those who fail to respond to DAA therapies, particularly those containing inhibitors of HCV nonstructural protein 5A.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dorota Zarębska-Michaluk
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Jan Kochanowski University, Kielce 25-369, Świętokrzyskie, Poland
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Tronina O, Durlik M, Orłowska I, Lorenc B, Łapiński TW, Garlicki A, Dybowska D, Zarębska-Michaluk D, Tudrujek-Zdunek M, Citko J, Janczewska E, Kaczmarczyk M, Jaroszewicz J, Krygier R, Klapaczyński J, Dobracka B, Białkowska-Warzecha J, Piekarska A, Simon K, Halota W, Pawłowska M, Tomasiewicz K, Flisiak R. Real-world direct-acting antiviral treatment in kidney transplant and hemodialysis patients: the EpiTer-2 multicenter observational study. Ann Gastroenterol 2021; 34:438-446. [PMID: 33948071 PMCID: PMC8079881 DOI: 10.20524/aog.2021.0595] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/13/2020] [Accepted: 10/22/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Patients who undergo hemodialysis (HD) or kidney transplantation (KTx) previously had limited possibilities for treatment of hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection. Direct-acting antivirals (DAA) give these patients a chance of virus eradication and safe transplantation. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness and safety of DAA in KTx and HD patients in real-world settings. Methods Sustained virologic response (SVR) and treatment safety were analyzed in KTx and HD patients from the EpiTer-2 database, which included HCV-infected subjects treated with DAA between 2015 and 2019. Additionally, for KTx patients, changes in creatinine concentration, estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR), proteinuria within a year after treatment, and changes in the need for calcineurin inhibitors were assessed. Results Among 10,152 patients from the EpiTer-2 database 148 were selected, 85 after KTx and 63 undergoing HD. The most common genotype, 1b HCV, was found in 73% and 86% of patients, respectively. Cirrhosis was noted in 10% and 19%, respectively. The most common DAA regimen after KTx was sofosbuvir/ledipasvir (54%), whereas in HD patients it was ombitasvir/paritaprevir/ritonavir +/- dasabuvir (56%). All patients with available follow-up results achieved SVR. No deaths, kidney loss or acute rejection episodes were noted. The most common adverse effects in both groups were anemia and weakness. One year after treatment, creatinine concentration, eGFR and proteinuria remained stable in the majority of patients. Conclusion DAA treatment of HCV infection demonstrated high effectiveness and safety in hemodialyzed patients and patients who had undergone KTx in this real-world study.
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Affiliation(s)
- Olga Tronina
- Department of Transplantation Medicine, Nephrology, and Internal Diseases, Medical University of Warsaw, Warsaw (Olga Tronina, Magdalena Durlik)
| | - Magdalena Durlik
- Department of Transplantation Medicine, Nephrology, and Internal Diseases, Medical University of Warsaw, Warsaw (Olga Tronina, Magdalena Durlik)
| | - Iwona Orłowska
- Department of Infectious Diseases and Hepatology, Wrocław Medical University, Wrocław (Iwona Orłowska, Krzysztof Simon)
| | - Beata Lorenc
- Pomeranian Center of Infectious Diseases, Department of Infectious Diseases, Medical University of Gdańsk, Gdańsk (Beata Lorenc)
| | - Tadeusz W Łapiński
- Department of Infectious Diseases and Hepatology, Medical University of Białystok, Białystok (Tadeusz W. Łapiński, Robert Flisiak)
| | - Aleksander Garlicki
- Department of Infectious and Tropical Diseases, Jagiellonian University Collegium Medicum, Kraków (Aleksander Garlicki)
| | - Dorota Dybowska
- Department of Infectious Diseases and Hepatology, Faculty of Medicine, Collegium Medicum Bydgoszcz, Nicolaus Copernicus University, Toruń (Dorota Dybowska, Waldemar Halota, Małgorzata Pawłowska)
| | - Dorota Zarębska-Michaluk
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Voivodship Hospital and Jan Kochanowski University, Kielce (Dorota Zarębska-Michaluk)
| | - Magdalena Tudrujek-Zdunek
- Department of Infectious Diseases and Hepatology, Medical University of Lublin, Lublin (Magdalena Tudrujek-Zdunek, Krzysztof Tomasiewicz)
| | - Jolanta Citko
- Medical Practice of Infections, Regional Hospital, Olsztyn, Poland (Jolanta Citko)
| | - Ewa Janczewska
- Hepatology Outpatient Clinic, ID Clinic, Mysłowice, Poland (Ewa Janczewska)
| | - Marcin Kaczmarczyk
- Clinical Department of Infectious Diseases, Specialist Hospital in Chorzów, Medical University of Silesia, Katowice, Poland (Marcin Kaczmarczyk)
| | - Jerzy Jaroszewicz
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Medical University of Silesia in Katowice, Bytom (Jerzy Jaroszewicz)
| | - Rafał Krygier
- Infectious Diseases and Hepatology Outpatient Clinic NZOZ "Gemini", Żychlin (Rafał Krygier)
| | - Jakub Klapaczyński
- Department of Internal Medicine and Hepatology, Central Clinical Hospital of the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Administration, Warsaw (Jakub Klapaczyński)
| | | | | | - Anna Piekarska
- Department of Infectious Diseases and Hepatology, Medical University of Łódź (Anna Piekarska), Poland
| | - Krzysztof Simon
- Department of Infectious Diseases and Hepatology, Wrocław Medical University, Wrocław (Iwona Orłowska, Krzysztof Simon)
| | - Waldemar Halota
- Department of Infectious Diseases and Hepatology, Faculty of Medicine, Collegium Medicum Bydgoszcz, Nicolaus Copernicus University, Toruń (Dorota Dybowska, Waldemar Halota, Małgorzata Pawłowska)
| | - Małgorzata Pawłowska
- Department of Infectious Diseases and Hepatology, Faculty of Medicine, Collegium Medicum Bydgoszcz, Nicolaus Copernicus University, Toruń (Dorota Dybowska, Waldemar Halota, Małgorzata Pawłowska)
| | - Krzysztof Tomasiewicz
- Department of Infectious Diseases and Hepatology, Medical University of Lublin, Lublin (Magdalena Tudrujek-Zdunek, Krzysztof Tomasiewicz)
| | - Robert Flisiak
- Department of Infectious Diseases and Hepatology, Medical University of Białystok, Białystok (Tadeusz W. Łapiński, Robert Flisiak)
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Halota W, Flisiak R, Juszczyk J, Małkowski P, Pawłowska M, Simon K, Tomasiewicz K. Recommendations of the Polish Group of Experts for HCV for the treatment of hepatitis C in 2020. Clin Exp Hepatol 2020; 6:163-169. [PMID: 33145422 PMCID: PMC7592092 DOI: 10.5114/ceh.2020.98606] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/14/2020] [Accepted: 07/14/2020] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The recommendations set out the principles of diagnosis and treatment of hepatitis C virus (HCV) infections according to the most recent knowledge. The main goal of therapy for HCV infection is to eliminate the virus from the body, which consequently leads to arrest of progress or regression of changes in the liver. Current version of the recommendations prioritise pangenotypic regimens and provide guidelines in special populations of patients, such as children, cirrhotics, human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and hepatitis B virus (HBV) coinfected, those with renal failure, hepatic decompensation and non-responders to previous therapies.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Robert Flisiak
- Department of Infectious Diseases and Hepatology, Medical University of Białystok, 14 Żurawia St., 15-540 Bialystok, Poland
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Searching for the optimal population for hepatitis C virus screening in Poland. Clin Exp Hepatol 2020; 6:74-76. [PMID: 32728622 PMCID: PMC7380468 DOI: 10.5114/ceh.2020.94969] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/24/2020] [Accepted: 04/24/2020] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Aim of the study The purpose of the study was to select the optimal target population for a possible national hepatitis C virus (HCV) screening program in Poland, based on the most recent available data. Material and methods The analysis included 723,654 participants from different populations screened for anti-HCV. Testing was performed in the whole blood using rapid anti-HCV kits. Presence of HCV RNA was additionally demonstrated in some anti-HCV positive patients with the real-time polymerase chain reaction method. Results Altogether 3,548 anti-HCV positive individuals were identified, so the prevalence rate in the whole studied population was 0.5%. The highest percentage (1.2%) was shown by diagnostic laboratories, which offered rapid testing for patients visiting their offices during the HCV awareness campaign. Relatively high anti-HCV prevalence of 0.6-0.7% was noted in hospitals and in private medical centers, as well as during music concerts. Surprisingly, the lowest prevalence (0.2%) was observed in general practitioners’ offices. Among 502 anti-HCV positive individuals tested additionally for HCV RNA, viremic presence was demonstrated in 40%. Conclusions Anti-HCV testing in Poland should be carried out using rapid anti-HCV kits at the patients’ admission to the hospitals and should also be offered to patients during their visits for any purpose in diagnostic laboratories or private medical centers.
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