Reduced Incidence of Hepatic Encephalopathy and Higher Odds of Resolution Associated With Eradication of HCV Infection.

ABSTRACT:

Background & aims

It is unclear whether a sustained virologic response (SVR) to direct-acting antiviral (DAA) therapy reduces the risk of incident hepatic encephalopathy (HE) in patients with hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection or whether it leads to resolution of pre-existent HE.

Methods

We identified 71,457 patients who initiated antiviral treatments in the Veterans Affairs Healthcare System from January 1, 1999 through December 31, 2015; 35,871 patients (58%) received only interferon, 4535 patients (7.2%) received DAAs plus interferon, and 21,948 patients (35%) received DAA-only regimens. We collected data from patients through October 31, 2018, for an average of 6.6 years. We evaluated the association between SVR and the development of incident HE or the resolution of pre-

SUBMITTER: Tapper EB 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7124980 | biostudies-literature | 2020 May

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature