2 Dec 2023 • Short-term prophylaxis with direct-acting antivirals was fully effective at protecting kidney transplant recipients when their donors had hepatitis C, a proof-of-concept study showed.

Only one of these 10 patients had transient liver function abnormalities on labs during the 12 weeks after transplant, the researchers said in an Annals of Internal Medicine brief report.

The researchers also pointed out that prophylaxis is less costly than a full treatment course. Some prior studies have also evaluated direct-acting antiviral prophylaxis, but it was unclear what the best duration was.

The 10 transplant recipients (median age 60) received a dose of glecaprevir 300 mg-pibrentasvir 120 mg prophylaxis before the kidney transplant, followed by 13 additional once-daily doses after the transplantation.

During prophylaxis week one after transplant, eight of 10 recipients had low-level hepatitis C viremia. At week 12, all had hepatitis C RNA less than the lower limit of quantification.

Source: MedPage Today | Read full story