Sofosbuvir-based regimen for genotype 2 HCV infected patients in Taiwan: A real world experience

BACKGROUND: Sofosbuvir (SOF)-based regimens achieve excellent efficacy and safety in the treatment of chronic hepatitis C (CHC) with various genotypes. There are few real-world instances of the use of SOF-based regimens to treat genotype 2 CHC. This study determines the effectiveness and safety of SOF/Ribavirn (RBV), SOF/Daclatasvir (DCV) and SOF/DCV/RBV in the treatment of genotype 2 CHC patients in Taiwan. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Patients with genotype 2 CHC were treated for 12 weeks with SOF/RBV, SOF/DCV or SOF/DCV/RBV under the National Health Insurance reimbursement program in three hospitals in Taiwan. The sustained virological response at 12 weeks (SVR12) was determined. Adverse events were recorded for a safety analysis. RESULTS: A total of 467 genotype 2 CHC patients were enrolled from January to October 2018. One hundred and eleven patients (24%) had cirrhosis, including 10 patients (2.1%) with hepatic decompensation. Fifty-five patients (12%) had already experienced interferon-alpha/RBV treatment. Forty-two patients (9%) had a history of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) in the baseline. Three hundred and fifty-five patients received SOF/RBV, forty-seven patients received SOF/DCV and sixty-two patients received SOF/DCV/RBV. The SOF/DCV group featured a greater HCV viral load than the SOF/RBV or SOF/DCV/RBV groups. SVR12 was achieved in 94.6% of the SOF/RBV group, 95.7% of the SOF/DCV group and 96.8% of then SOF/DCV/RBV group (P = NS). Thirteen out of 352 patients (3.7%) in the SOF/RBV group, 1 out of 62 patients (1.6%) in the SOF/DCV/RBV group and 1 out of 47 patients (2.1%) in the SOF/DCV group developed virological failure. There are no differences in virological failure between the three groups (P = NS). Multi-variate analysis shows that history of HCC is an independent factor that is associated with the failure of treatment in the SOF/RBV group (odds ratio:4.905, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.321–18.205, P = 0.017). Hemoglobin levels at 12 weeks are significantly lower in the SOF/RBV and the SOF/RBV/DCV group than in the SOF/DCV group (P<0.05). Serious adverse events (SAE) occurred in six patients (1.6%) in the SOF/RBV group and in one patient (1.6%) in the SOF/RBV/DCV group. No patients in the SOF/DCV group experienced SAE. CONCLUSIONS: SOF/RBV, SOF/DCV or SOF/DCV/RBV for 12 weeks all achieve very high SVR rates and are equally effective in the treatment of genotype 2 CHC patients in the real world in Taiwan. Patients in the SOF/RBV group who have a history of HCC exhibit a lower SVR rate.