Antiviral Regimen Complexity Index as an Independent Predictor of Sustained Virologic Response in Patients with Chronic Hepatitis C

Abstract

BACkgRound: Hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection affects more than 170 million people worldwide, and one-third of them have human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) coinfection. Multiple studies have been conducted in order to identify the factors that may explain different responses to treatment among patients. However, the reasons why HIV-HCV coinfected patients have lower responses to treatment are not clear. In addition, no studies have evaluated the influence of the complexity of the therapeutic regimen for hepatitis C infection on clinical outcomes.

Influence of Treatment Complexity on Adherence and Incidence of Blips in HIV/HCV Coinfected Patients

“…This score has been previously validated, and it is applicable to children and adults with HIV disease and HIV/HCV coinfected patients. 11,21 Because the complexity of anti-HCV therapy varies among treatment options, we took into account the highest value possible in statistical analysis. This value corresponds with the addition of a direct-acting antiviral to bi-therapy.…”

Drug–drug interactions of telaprevir and boceprevir in HCV‐monoinfected and HIV/HCV‐coinfected patients can modify the adherence

“…These findings may be explained by the fact that patients presenting more comorbidities and, subsequently taking more drugs at baseline and presenting more DDIs, were less adherent to treatment. In patients receiving pegIFN and RBV, antiviral regimen complexity has been identified as a predictor of SVR and, in a small cohort of patients treated with first generation NS3/4A PIs, polypharmacy and comorbidity were associated with a lower early virological response .…”

Influence of adding etravirine on complexity index and patients' perceived complexity

“…This score takes into account the number of pills per day, the dosing schedule, the dosage form and any specific instructions related to drug use. This score has previously been validated and is applicable to children and adults with HIV.…”