Real-Life Experience of Hepatitis C Treatment with Direct-Acting Antivirals in Genotypes 2 and 3

TL;DR

This study examines the effectiveness and safety of hepatitis C treatments in Türkiye, showing high success rates with direct-acting antivirals for genotypes 2 and 3.

Contribution

Provides real-world evidence on DAA treatment outcomes for HCV genotypes 2 and 3 in a heterogeneous patient population in Türkiye.

Findings

A 95.9% sustained virological response rate was observed in patients treated with DAAs.

Lower SVR rates were found in patients with cirrhosis and those previously treated with interferon.

Sofosbuvir-based regimens showed comparable efficacy with minimal drug interactions.

Abstract

Despite the widespread use of direct-acting antivirals (DAAs), real-world data on treatment outcomes and predictors of response in hepatitis C virus (HCV) genotypes 2 and 3 remain limited, particularly in countries with heterogeneous patient populations such as Türkiye. This study evaluates the efficacy and safety of direct-acting antivirals (DAAs) in treating hepatitis C virus (HCV) genotype 2 (GT-2) and genotype 3 (GT-3) in Türkiye.

This cohort is a multicenter, retrospective, and observational study. Data from 267 GT-2 or GT-3 patients treated with a DAA were analyzed. Treatment efficacy was assessed by sustained virological response at 12 weeks after the end of treatment (SVR), and baseline demographic, clinical, and laboratory parameters were evaluated to identify factors associated with treatment response..

An overall sustained virological response (SVR) rate of 95.9%, with no significant difference between GTs. The SVR rates were relatively lower in patients with cirrhosis. Prior pegylated interferon and ribavirin reduced SVR rates, particularly in males and patients with cirrhosis. The most common treatments were sofosbuvir-based regimens, which demonstrated comparable efficacy. No significant drug interactions were observed. The most commonly reported adverse events were fatigue and mild anemia, particularly in cirrhotic patients; however, these did not lead to treatment discontinuation.

This study supports the efficacy and tolerability of DAA regimens for these HCV GTs, thereby reinforcing their role in HCV eradication.

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