Evolution of Pretreatment Assessment and Direct Acting Antiviral Regimens in Accordance with Upgrading Guidelines: A Retrospective Study in HIV/HCV Coinfected Patients

Abstract

Since the advent of new direct acting antivirals (DAA), substantial changes in hepatitis C (HCV) treatment guidelines have occurred. However, little is known about how these recommendations have been adopted into clinical practice. We conducted a retrospective review of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)/HCV coinfected patients treated with DAAs at the Ryan White Clinic of the Jackson Health System in Miami, FL, USA. Our aim was to determine changes in HCV evaluation and treatment patterns in the use of DAAs over a four-year period from January 2014 to December 2017. Data were divided into two periods: period 1 (2014⁻2015) and period 2 (2016⁻2017). In comparison with the rest of the cohort, patients in period 2 had a lower frequency of advanced liver disease (24.4% vs. 48.6%, p = 0.026) and underwent more elastography (34.1% vs. 2.7%, p < 0.001) and less ultrasound (78.0% vs. 97.3%, p = 0.011). They were more often treated with ledipasvir/sofosbuvir (85.4% vs. 56.8%, p = 0.005) and less often with simeprevir/sofosbuvir (0% vs. 32.4%, p < 0.001). Gastrointestinal side effects were reported less frequently (2.4% vs. 18.9%, p = 0.017) in this period. In accordance with the updated guidelines, our study demonstrated a growing preference for non-invasive methods to assess fibrosis in recent years. Regarding treatment, there was a clear preference for second generation DAAs in 2016⁻2017, along with initiation of treatment in the early stages of liver disease.