Interferon-free treatments in patients with hepatitis C genotype 3 infection in a tertiary hospital

INTRODUCTION: Hepatitis C virus genotype 3 represents a unique entity within HCV treatment and multiple studies have documented that HCV genotype 3 infection is associated with more rapid disease progression than other genotypes, resulting in increased risk of cirrhosis, hepatocellular carcinoma, and all-cause mortality. In the current study, we further evaluated the real-world effectiveness of 12 weeks of ledipasvir/sofosbuvir ± ribavirin (LDV/SOF ± RBV) and sofosbuvir + daclatasvir (SOF + DCV) for treatment-naive or treatment-experienced patients infected with HCV genotype 3, with or without cirrhosis. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Retrospective and observational study carried out in a third level hospital. Study period: April 2015 to January 2016. Inclusion criteria: Patients with HCV genotype-3 infection treated either with LDV/SOF ± RBV or with SOF + DCV during study period treated for 12 weeks. The patients that were treated during 24 weeks were excluded and those treated with peg-interferon. The main endpoint measured was the sustained virologic response (SVR) at 12 weeks (SVR12) and the secondary endpoint was SVR at 24 weeks (SVR24). RESULTS: During the study period, 603 patients were treated in our hospital: 71 with genotype 3. We included 46 patients who were treated with LDV/SOF ± RBV or SOF + DCV for 12 weeks. A 43.75% (7/16) of all patients treated with LDV/SOF achieved SVR12, 90% (9/10) of the patients treated with LDV/SOF+RBV achieved SVR12 and 95% (19/20) of the patients treated with SOF+DCV achieved SVR12. There was statistically significant difference (p=0.001) between LDV/SOF respect to SOF+DCV and between LDV/SOF with regard to LDV/SOF +RBV (p=0.018) used to treat HCV genotype 3 infection. CONCLUSIONS: In conclusion, in our cohort of patients, the combination of SOF + DCV followed by LDV/SOF + RBV 12 weeks were the most effective in patients with HCV genotype 3 and with cirrhosis (SVR12 90% and 80%, respectively) and in those without cirrhosis (SVR12 100% in both combinations). All patients who achieved SVR12 also achieved SVR24, regardless of the regimen received.