Concomitant use of direct-acting antivirals (DAA) and central nervous system drugs in patients with hepatitis C virus infection

Abstract

Our objective was to determine potential drug interactions (DI) between pangenotypic direct-acting antivirals (pDAA) and concomitant central nervous system (CNS) medication in patients with chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV). Transversal design. Patients aged ≥ 18 years on treatment with pDAA during 2017 were included. The variables collected were comorbidity, concomitant CNS medication and potential DI. The pDAA analyzed were a) Sofosbuvir/Velpatasvir (SOF/ VEL), b) Glecaprevir/Pibrentasvir (GLE/PIB) and c) Sofosbuvir/ Velpatasvir/Voxilaprevir (SOF/VEL/VOX). Descriptive statistical analysis. We recruited 1,170 patients (mean age 60.1 years, 56.4% male). Mean concomitant drug use was 3.2 per patient/year. The percentages of potential / possible DI between the DAAs and the concomitant drugs on the CNS were: 2.7% contraindications, 11.3% significant and 4.2% weak. By pDAA, the percentages were: SOF/VEL (2.7%; 0.0%; 4.4%), GLE/GDP (2.7%; 26.5%; 1.6%) SOF/VEL/VOX (2.7%; 6.8%; 4.4%), respectively. Concomitant CNS medication was used in one third of HCV patients. It is important to select a pDAA with a low rate of potential DI to simplify treatment. SOF/VEL is a good alternative compared with the other pDAA studied, mainly due to the concomitant use of antipsychotics and analgesics.