Direct-acting antiviral agents (DAA) in the management of hepatitis C in a clinical setting: Effectiveness and limitations

Abstract

Hepatitis C virus (HCV) significantly burdens public healthcare resources and has infected over 73 million people as of 2023. Past treatments for hepatitis C virus relied on ribavirin pegylated interferon. However, this treatment has adverse side effects, such as depression, anemia, etc. At the same time, this method has a low cure rate and poor patient compliance. DAA can not only treat CHC and even cirrhosis, but also play a crucial role in mediating the recovery of immune damage and regulating glucose metabolism in infected patients. In the contemporary approach of HCV, Direct-acting antiviral agents (DAA) resulted in up to 90% cure rates. At the same time, clinical trials showed DAA also provides many benefits to patients during treatment. Still, with the widespread use of DAA, some DAA limitations have also been identified during its use. This article summarizes the benefits and limitations that DAA has demonstrated in the current treatment of HCV.