Peripheral blood mononuclear cells hepatitis C virus RNA as a predictor for the response to daclatasvir-containing oral antiviral regimen in chronic hepatitis C patients from the Damietta Governorate

Abstract

Background Eradication of hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection is the goal of direct-acting antivirals with a high rate of sustained virological response (SVR). Currently, SVR is determined by negative serum HCV RNA by real-time (RT)-PCR that may not give any information about intracellular HCV replication. Aim To study peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) HCV RNA as a predictor for the response to daclatasvir-containing oral antiviral regimen in chronic hepatitis C patients. Patients and methods In all, 150 patients with chronic HCV, classified into 100 easy-to-treat patients (group I) and 50 difficult-to-treat patients (group II), who achieved SVR to sofosbuvir plus daclatasvir with or without ribavirin were enrolled in the study. HCV RNA was evaluated in both sera and isolated PBMCs using the polymerase chain at 3 and 12 months from the end of treatment (EOT). Results As regards HCV RNA in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) we found that no case was positive in the easy to treat (group I). In difficult to treat (group II), six (4%) patients were positive at 3 months and 24 (16%) patients at 12 months after EOT. However, there is no virological, clinical, or biochemical relapse noted during the follow-up period among positive cases. All positive cases were cirrhotic, with significantly lower platelets count and albumen level but higher bilirubin than group I. Conclusion All easy-to-treat groups were HCV RNA in PBMCs negative at EOT and during the follow-up period (1 year). Follow-up of cirrhotic patients with positive HCV RNA in PBMCs showed no clinical, biochemical, or virological relapse.