Background: Hepatitis C virus can be eradicated with antiviral therapy, thus reducing the risk of disease progression and death associated with the final stage of liver disease.
Methods: 241 patients received PrOD+RBV for 12 weeks. Clinical and laboratory data were assessed at baseline, week 4, 8, 12 (end of treatment, EOT), and 12 weeks after therapy (sustained virological response, SVR). Subsequently, biological and virological measurements were performed at least 48 weeks after obtaining SVR12 in responder patients.
Results: Per protocol SVR12 rate was 97,6%. Severe adverse events were reported in 3 patients (1.24%) and led to treatment discontinuation (liver decompensation). One 58-year-old patient who completed the treatment died before SVR evaluation due to acute mesenteric ischemia (not related to antiviral therapy). Baseline total bilirubin above 2 mg/dl can be considered a predictive factor for non-response to PrOD+RBV treatment (p = 0.004). Of the 30 patients evaluated at least 48 weeks after SVR no one presented relapses, with no statistically significant differences in biological parameters changes and no adverse events were noted during the 48-week follow up period.
Conclusion: Our study revealed the high effectiveness and good safety profile of PrOD +RBV in patients with genotype-1b HCV compensated cirrhosis (Child Pugh A) which were maintained during a 48-week period after treatment finalization.