R. Perbellini

Persistence of hepatocellular carcinoma risk in hepatitis C patients with a response to IFN and cirrhosis regression

In patients with HCV‐related cirrhosis, a sustained virological response may lead to cirrhosis regression. Whether histological changes translate into prevention of long‐term complications, particularly hepatocellular carcinoma is still unknown. This was investigated in a cohort of histological cirrhotics who had been prospectively followed‐up for 10 years after the achievement of a sustained virological response to IFN.

High-resolution melting assay for genotyping of IFNL4-associated dinucleotide variant rs368234815

Interferon-λ4-related dinucleotide variant rs368234815 TT/-G is strongly linked with rs12979860 polymorphism, the most important genetic marker connected to treatment-induced hepatitis C virus clearance. Due to additional baseline information that rs368234815 polymorphism could provide for the management of chronic hepatitis C, we developed and validated a high-resolution melting genotyping assay using 193 patients with chronic hepatitis C.

12 weeks ombitasvir/paritaprevir–ritonavir + ribavirin achieve high SVR rates in HCV-4 patients with advanced fibrosis

BACKGROUND Ombitasvir/paritaprevir-ritonavir (OBT/PTV-r) plus ribavirin (RBV) for 12 weeks in hepatitis C virus (HCV) genotype 4 patients with advanced fibrosis has been only investigated in clinical trials. AIMS To assess safety and efficacy of OBT/PTV-r + RBV for 12 weeks in real-life HCV-4 patients with advanced fibrosis. METHODS HCV-4 patients with advanced fibrosis consecutively receiving OBT/PTV-r + RBV for 12 weeks in a single center were enrolled. Fibrosis was staged by transient elastography (TE) (F3: ≥10 kPa; F4 ≥11.9 kPa) or histologically. Sustained virological response (SVR) was defined as undetectable HCV-RNA 12 weeks post-treatment. RESULTS Between January 2016 and February 2017, 49 HCV-4 patients were included: median age 54 (39-72) years, 84% males, 59% Egyptians, 35% fibrosis F3 and 65% F4, all Child Pugh class A. Median RBV dose was 1200 (200-1200) mg/day. At ITT analysis, 47 (96%) patients achieved an SVR (100% at PP analysis). SVR was not affected by ancestry (Egyptian vs. Italian 97% vs. 95%, p = 1.0), fibrosis stage (F3 vs. F4 100% vs. 94%, p = .53), presence of baseline resistance associated substitutions (RASs) or RBV reduction. CONCLUSIONS We report 100% SVR with 12-weeks of OBT/PTV-r + RBV in HCV-4 patients with advanced liver disease, including compensated cirrhotics.