THE INFLUENCE OF COMORBIDITIES AND THEIR TREATMENT ON THE INITIATION AND PERFORMING INTERFERON-FREE THERAPY IN PATIENTS WITH CHRONIC C LIVER INFECTION.

Introduction. Hepatitis C virus may cause chronic liver infection which may progress to advanced fibrosis, liver cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Eradication of HCV could reduce the risk of liver cirrhosis, HCC and liver-related deaths. Interferon-free (IFN-free) treatment can achieve high sustained virological response (SVR) rates, even in patients with one or more comorbidities. Objectives. We want to verify the influence of comorbidities and their treatment on the initiation and performing genotype-specific IFN-free therapy and also on obtaining SVR in these patients. Material and Methods. We made a retrospective study on 85 patients with chronic C infection - 63 female and 22 men (sex ratio 2.86/1), aged between 45 and 80 years old, with median age 62 ± 2.3 years old, hospitalized in "St Spiridon" Hospital Iasi - Gastroenterology between 2019 - 2021 in order to initiate IFN-free therapy. Distribution of the group according to comorbidities: cardiovascular disease - 46 patients (58,8%), diabetes - 8 patients (9,4%), 9 patients - endocrinological disorders (10,5%), 5 patients psychiatric diseases (5,8%), 2 patients respiratory diseases (2,35%), 4 patients hematological diseases (4,7%), 2 patients - neoplastic antecedents (cured gastric neoplasia) 2,3%, 4 patient neurological diseases (4,7%), 5 patients without associated disease (5,8%). The drug interactions were checked and the therapeutic schemes were modulated accordingly. 57 patients (67%) presented F1-F3 grade of fibrosis and 28 patients (32,9%) F4, of which 6 (7%) with decompensated cirrhosis. The associated treatment consisted of: antihypertensives, levothyroxine, insulin therapy, antidepressants, antiparkinsonian, antipsychotics, antidementia. Genotype-specific IFN-free therapy was: Viekirax-Exviera (ombitasvir, pari, ritonavir +dasabuvir) in 46 patients (55,42%), Harvoni (ledipasvir/sofosbuvir) in 26 patients ((31,32%) and Zepatier (Grazoprevir) - 11 patients (13,25%). Results. Out of the 85 patients, 2 with neurological pathology could not initiate the therapy (2,3%). 83 HCV patients (97,64%) started IFN-free treatment. One patient developed severe heart failure and needed to stop IFN-free treatment after six weeks administration (1,17% of total). 82 patients started and finished IFN-free treatment (96,4%). All of them achieved sustained SVR at 12 weeks after treatment (100%). Conclusion. Despite the presence in patients with HCV chronic infection of various comorbidities along with their treatments, IFN-free therapy could be initiated and followed in the vast majority of them. In our study, all patients which started and finished IFN-free regimens obtained SVR. Close monitoring and careful attention are needed to handle unexpected adverse events. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]