Premium
The effect of interferon‐free regimens on health‐related quality of life in East Asian patients with chronic hepatitis C
Author(s) -
Younossi Zobair M.,
Stepanova Maria,
Henry Linda,
Han KwangHyub,
Ahn Sang Hoon,
Lim YoungSuk,
Chuang WanLong,
Kao JiaHorng,
Kinh Nguyen,
Lai Ching Lung,
Yuen ManFung,
Chan Henry LikYuen,
Lai Wei
Publication year - 2018
Publication title -
liver international
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.873
H-Index - 110
eISSN - 1478-3231
pISSN - 1478-3223
DOI - 10.1111/liv.13650
Subject(s) - sofosbuvir , medicine , ribavirin , regimen , gastroenterology , pegylated interferon , quality of life (healthcare) , cirrhosis , hepatitis c , hepatitis c virus , genotype , immunology , virus , biochemistry , chemistry , nursing , gene
Background Interferon ( IFN )‐based regimens cause significant impairment of health‐related quality of life ( HRQL ). Hepatitis C virus (HCV) cure with IFN ‐free regimens improves HRQL . The effect of these regimens on HRQL in East Asian HCV patients is unclear due to lack of published evidence. Aim To assess HRQL in East Asian HCV patients treated with an IFN ‐free regimen with sofosbuvir+ribavirin. Methods Patients completed Short Form‐36 ( SF ‐36) before, during and after treatment. Results 686 subjects were included (China: 56.7%; S. Korea: 18.8%; Taiwan: 12.7%; genotype 2: 40.8%; genotype 1: 29.6%; genotype 3: 18.4%; genotype 6: 11.2%; cirrhosis: 13.4%; treatment‐naïve: 66.5%). Patients received either pegylated‐ IFN , sofosbuvir, and ribavirin ( IFN + SOF + RBV ) for 12 weeks (n = 155, genotypes 1 and 6) or SOF + RBV for 12‐24 weeks (n = 531, all genotypes). The SVR ‐12 rates were 95.5% and 96.0%; respectively ( P = .76). Baseline HRQL scores were similar between treatment groups (all P > .05). By the end of treatment, the IFN ‐treated group experienced significant declines in most HRQL scores (on average, by up to −13.3 points on a 0‐100 scale from the baseline level, P < .02) while subjects on SOF / RBV had milder impairments (up to −5.4 points). Achieving SVR ‐12 was associated with HRQL improvement regardless of regimen (up to +2.9 points, P < .05). The use of IFN ‐free treatment was a consistent independent predictor of higher HRQL scores during treatment (β: +2.1 to +10.7 points, P < .02). Conclusions East Asian HCV patients treated with an IFN ‐free regimen had better on‐treatment HRQL scores. These data should inform policymakers about the comprehensive benefits of IFN ‐free regimens in East Asian patients with HCV .