The summaries are free for public
use. The Chronic Liver Disease
Foundation will continue to add and
archive summaries of articles deemed
relevant to CLDF by the Board of
Trustees and its Advisors.
Abstract Details
Standard Versus Extended Duration Direct-Acting Antiviral Therapy in Hepatitis C Patients With Slow Response to Treatment
Ann Pharmacother. 2020 May 14;1060028020921166. doi: 10.1177/1060028020921166.Online ahead of print.
Ashley H McKnight1, Mary L Townsend1, Mohamed G Hashem1, Susanna Naggie123, Lawrence P Park124, Rachel B Britt1
Author information
1Durham Veterans Affairs Health Care System, Durham, NC, USA.
2Department of Medicine, Infectious Diseases Division, Duke University Hospital, Durham, NC, USA.
3Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, NC, USA.
4Duke Global Health Institute, Durham, NC, USA.
Abstract
Background: Response-guided hepatitis C therapy was standard with interferon-based regimens but is not used for direct-acting antivirals (DAAs). Week 4 viral kinetics may predict sustained virological response (SVR) with DAAs, but it is unclear whether extending therapy in slow responders affects outcomes. Objectives: The primary objective was to compare SVR rates between traditional and extended duration groups. Secondary objectives were to compare SVR rates among subgroups and to determine factors associated with SVR. Methods: This institutional review board-approved, retrospective, single-center study identified patients with chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection with detectable week 4 HCV RNA who were treated with DAAs. Patients were excluded for early discontinuation, treatment regimen not recommended first-line, or missing HCV RNA labs. Patients were stratified into traditional and extended duration groups. The primary end point was SVR. Secondary end points included factors associated with SVR and rationale for extension of therapy duration. Results: A total of 363 patients were included; 58 (16%) received extended therapy. Patients were primarily genotype 1a (70%) and treatment naïve (80%). More than half had advanced fibrosis or cirrhosis. SVR12 rates were 100% in the extended duration group and 96.7% in the traditional duration group (P = 0.37). There were no associations with SVR and prespecified patient-specific factors. Sample size was limited. Conclusion and Relevance: Based on these findings, a recommendation for extension of therapy cannot be made for patients with detectable HCV RNA at week 4 of treatment at this time. Cost analyses may help guide recommendations to re-treat rare failures versus extend therapy in all slow responders.