Real-world safety and efficacy of paritaprevir/ritonavir/ombitasvir plus dasabuvir ± ribavirin in patients with hepatitis C virus genotype 1 and advanced hepatic fibrosis or compensated cirrhosis: a multicenter pooled analysis

Paritaprevir/ritonavir, ombitasvir, and dasabuvir (PrOD) with or without ribavirin shows favorable results in hepatitis C virus genotype 1 (HCV-1) patients in terms of safety and efficacy, but real-world data remain limited for those with advanced hepatic fibrosis (fibrosis 3, F3) or compensated cirrhosis (F4). A total of 941 patients treated in four hospitals (the Keelung, the Linkuo, the Chiayi and the Kaohsiung Chang Gung Memorial Hospital) through a nationwide government-funded program in Taiwan were enrolled. Patients with HCV and advanced hepatic fibrosis or compensated cirrhosis received 12 weeks of PrOD in HCV-1b and 12 or 24 weeks of PrOD plus ribavirin therapy in HCV-1a without or with cirrhosis. Advanced hepatic fibrosis or compensated cirrhosis was confirmed by either ultrasonography, fibrosis index based on 4 factors (FIB-4) test, or transient elastography/acoustic radiation force impulse (ARFI). The safety and efficacy (sustained virologic response 12 weeks off therapy, SVR ₁₂ ) were evaluated. An SVR ₁₂ was achieved in 887 of 898 (98.8%) patients based on the per-protocol analysis (subjects receiving ≥1 dose of any study medication and HCV RNA data available at post-treatment week 12). Child-Pugh A6 (odds ratio: 0.168; 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.043–0.659, p = 0.011) was the only significant factor of poor SVR ₁₂ . Fifty-four (5.7%) patients were withdrawn early from the treatment because of hepatic decompensation (n = 18, 1.9%) and other adverse reactions. Multivariate analyses identified old age (odds ratio: 1.062; 95% CI: 1.008–1.119, p = 0.024) and Child-Pugh A6 (odds ratio: 4.957; 95% CI: 1.691–14.528, p = 0.004) were significantly associated with hepatic decompensation. In conclusion, this large real-world cohort proved PrOD with or without ribavirin to be highly effective in chronic hepatitis C patients with advanced hepatic fibrosis or compensated cirrhosis. However, Child-Pugh A6 should be an exclusion criterion for first-line treatment in these patients.