8 Sept 2023 • Interferon-free, direct acting antiviral regimens have revolutionised the clinical management of hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection since these new treatments became available in 2014 and the number of people who have been successfully treated for HCV have increased dramatically.

However, it is important to understand the overall prognosis for people who have been cured of HCV.

Several studies suggest that people with cirrhosis have low mortality rates after undergoing successful treatment for HCV, but data from larger and more representative cohorts that encompass patients with a broad spectrum of liver disease severity are required to form a reliable picture of prognosis for individuals who have been cured of HCV.

Therefore, data from three population based cohorts consisting of people cured of HCV in the era of interferon-free antivirals (from 2014 onwards) was obtained and analysed.

The goal of this analysis was to quantify mortality rates and assess how these rates compare with those of the general population.

Results from this analysis indicate that people successfully treated for HCV show:

• High rates of drug and liver related mortality

• Overall mortality rates are considerably greater than the general population, even for patients without cirrhosis at the time of successful treatment.

• After accounting for age, sex, and calendar year, death rates were 3-14 times higher than the general population, depending on the liver disease stage.

These findings highlight the need for continued support and follow-up after successful treatment for HCV to maximize the impact of direct acting antivirals.

Source: BMJ | Read full story