Efficacy and tolerability of interferon-free regimen for patients with genotype-1 HCV infection.

Takeda, Kosuke; Noguchi, Ryuichi; Namisaki, Tadashi; Moriya, Kei; Akahane, Takemi; Kitade, Mitsuteru; Kawaratani, Hideto; Shimozato, Naotaka; Kaji, Kosuke; Takaya, Hiroaki; Sawada, Yasuhiko; Seki, Kenichiro; Fujinaga, Yukihisa; Tsuji, Yuki; Kubo, Takuya; Sato, Shinya; Saikawa, Soichiro; Nakanishi, Keisuke; Furukawa, Masanori; Kitagawa, Koh

Depression is a major reason for interferon (IFN) therapy cessation. IFN-free direct-acting antiviral (DAA) therapy for depression is not well-documented. Thus, four different IFN-free regimens were assessed in genotype-1 hepatitis C virus (HCV) patients with depression. Overall, 287 HCV genotype-1 patients who received combination therapies with IFN-free DAAs of daclatasvir/asunaprevir (DCV/ASV) (n=84), sofosbuvir/ledipasvir (SOF/LDV) (n=95), ombitasvir/paritaprevir/ritonavir (OBV/PTV/r) (n=74), and elbasvir/grazoprevir (EBR/GZR) (n=34) were included. Treatment-induced depression as a complication of HCV therapy in IFN-free DAA regimens was assessed. The severity of depression was evaluated using the Beck Depression Inventory-II (BDI-II) questionnaire. It was demonstrated that all four DAA regimens achieved similar high efficacy in Japanese patients with HCV genotype-1 infection. Moreover, in seven patients with depression who received the 24-week DCV/ASV treatment regimen, the BDI-II scores significantly increased at week 4 as compared with pretreatment values; furthermore, they decreased below baseline at week 12 despite the rapid decline of serum HCV levels after the initiation of DCV/ASV therapy. The BDI-II scores gradually decreased during therapy in the remaining 77 DCV/ASV-treated patients without depression. The BDI-II scores showed a significant decrease from baseline to the end of treatment with 12-week regimens, including SOF/LDV and EBR/GZR. The 12-week DAA regimen of SOF/LDV and EBR/GZR can be safely used with high efficacy in patients with genotype-1 HCV infection, including those with depression.

HEPATITIS C treatment; HEPATITIS C; INTERFERONS; ANTIVIRAL agents; IMMUNOLOGICAL tolerance; IMMUNOLOGY

Experimental & Therapeutic Medicine, 2018, Vol 16, Issue 3, p2743

1792-0981

Academic Journal

10.3892/etm.2018.6481