What do clinicians need to watch for with direct-acting antiviral therapy?

INTRODUCTION: The introduction of drugs targeting the virus replication cycle has revolutionized treatment of chronic hepatitis C virus. These drugs, called direct-acting antivirals, have brought about extremely high rates of virological cure and have increased the number of patients who can receive treatment due to the lack of absolute contraindications. A combination of different classes of direct-acting antivirals is the current standard of care. Although treatment administration and monitoring has been simplified in recent years, it is still relatively complex and mostly in the hands of specialists. Several factors must be assessed before starting treatment to maximize efficacy and minimize side effects of treatment. In this review, we describe the factors that impact on the efficacy and safety of antiviral treatment for hepatitis C and provide clear recommendations for clinicians prescribing direct-acting antivirals.

METHODS: We reviewed literature to define best practice, based on factors associated with treatment efficacy and safety data to recommend treatment options, baseline and on-treatment assessments. The review included searches in PubMed, and the abstracts presented at the International Liver Congress TM and The Liver Meeting TM between January 2013 and September 2017.

RESULTS: Clinical features that must be assessed before starting treatment include virological factors, such as hepatitis C virus genotype, HIV and hepatitis B coinfection and host factors, such as concomitant medications, liver disease stage and renal function.

CONCLUSIONS: Patients who start antiviral treatment for chronic hepatitis C require a thorough clinical evaluation. There is a need for assessing factors that impact on the treatment schedule and duration or affect the pharmacokinetics of direct-acting antivirals.