Impact of Hepatitis C Virus Eradication Following Direct Acting Antivirals on Liver Stiffness Measurement

Abstract

Abstract Background Hepatitis C infection is a disease with significant global impact, about 130150 million people chronically infected with the hepatitis C virus (HCV), representing about 2-2.5% of the world’s population. In Egypt, the prevalence is 10% and according to the last DHS in 2015 it was 7%. Aim of the Work to evaluate the effect of SVR using DAAs on the stage of the liver fibrosis in HCV patients by measuring of liver stiffness, using transient elastography before and after receiving treatment. Patients and Methods This study was conducted in co-operation between Gastroenterology and Hepatology Department, AinShams University and the Gastroenterology and Hepatology Department, Theodor Bilharz Research Institute between January 2019 to September 2019. It included 103 adult Egyptian patients who received SOF/DAC for three months and were assessed before and after achieving SVR-24. The patients were recruited from the outpatient clinic of Theodor Bilharz Research Institute Hospital (after consents were obtained). Results study showed that achieving SVR-24 was associated with improvement of LSM assessed by Transient Elastography and application of FIB-4 score and overall improvement of liver biochemistry as shown by reduction of AST, ALT and serum bilirubin and increase of serum albumin, INR and platelets. This was accompanied by increase of hemoglobin, Creatinine and BMI. The study also showed despite the fact that results were accompanied by significant improvement in LSM, Fib-4 and liver biochemistry, achieving SVR did not guarantee improvement of cirrhosis; only 29% of cirrhotics regressed to sub-cirrhotic range (LSM <12.5 kPa). Conclusion Sofosbuvir / Daclatasvir combination is effective and well tolerated for treatment of genotype 4 chronic hepatitis C patients. Achieving SVR-24 was associated with significant improvement of LSM using transient elastography to assess liver fibrosis. Achieving SVR-24 was associated with overall improvement of liver biochemistry. Improvement of LSM was more in cirrhotic patients than non-cirrhotic patients.