Retrospective-prospective study of safety and efficacy of sofosbuvir-based direct-acting antivirals in HIV/HCV-coinfected participants with decompensated liver disease pre- or post-liver transplant.

Abstract

Direct-acting antiviral (DAA) therapy has transformed the management of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and hepatitis C (HCV) coinfected patients with advanced liver disease. STOP-Coinfection was a multicenter prospective and retrospective, open-label study using sofosbuvir-based DAA therapy to treat HIV/HCV-coinfected participants pre- or post-liver transplant (LT). Sixty-eight participants with end-stage liver disease (Child-Turcotte-Pugh score ≥7 and Model for End-Stage Liver Disease score 6-29) were enrolled, 26 had hepatocellular carcinoma. Forty-two participants were treated pre-LT and 26 post-LT. All participants completed therapy without need for dose reduction or transfusion; eight required two or more courses of therapy. Ninety-three percent achieved a sustained virologic response and DAA therapy was well tolerated. Despite HCV cure, 12 end-stage liver disease participants required subsequent LT, 7 for decompensated liver disease. Thirteen participants died, 10 with decompensated liver disease pre-LT and three post-LT. Overall, transplant free survival was 42.8% at 4years and post-LT survival was 87.9% at 5years. We conclude that sofosbuvir-based DAA therapy is safe and highly effective in HCV-HIV patients with decompensated liver disease and post-LT, with post-LT survival rates comparable to other indications. This removes one of the last barriers to liver transplantation in this challenging cohort of recipients.