title: Efficacy and safety of telaprevir-based antiviral treatment for elderly patients with hepatitis C virus.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Telaprevir-based antiviral therapy has been the primary treatment for chronic hepatitis C genotype 1 at a high viral load since November 2011. On the other hand, a number of patients have been reported to require withdrawal from or reduced doses of drugs due to side effects, such as eruptions, anemia, and renal dysfunction. In addition, as hepatitis C patients are growing older, it is imperative to investigate the tolerability of triple combination therapy for elderly patients.
  
  
  METHODS
  The study subjects comprised 35 patients who received telaprevir combination therapy after November 2011. They were divided into group A (age: <65 years; n = 21) and group B (age: ≥65 years; n = 14) in order to compare the treatment completion rate, sustained virological response at week 24 (SVR24), and adverse events between the groups.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The treatment completion rate was 82.8% (29/35) in all subjects, 90.4% (19/21) in group A, and 78.5% (11/14) in group B. The rate was lower in group B but without a significant difference between the groups (p = 0.804). The SVR24 rate was 88.5% (31/35) in all subjects, 90.4% (19/21) in group A, and 85.7% (12/14) in group B, without a significant difference between the groups (p = 0.161).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Although the incidence of anemia was higher in group B, there was no significant difference in the treatment completion or SVR24 rate between the groups. Telaprevir combination therapy is suggested to be tolerable for elderly hepatitis C patients.
authors.affiliation: Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Kinki University School of Medicine, Osaka-Sayama, Japan.
authors.forename: Masahiro
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Takita
authors.forename: Satoru
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Hagiwara
authors.forename: Masatoshi
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kudo
authors.forename: Masashi
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kouno
authors.forename: Hirokazu
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Chishina
authors.forename: Tadaaki
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Arizumi
authors.forename: Satoshi
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kitai
authors.forename: Norihisa
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Yada
authors.forename: Tatsuo
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Inoue
authors.forename: Yasunori
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Minami
authors.forename: Kazuomi
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Ueshima
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000740:Anemia / Q000139:chemically induced; D000998:Antiviral Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D003875:Drug Eruptions / Q000209:etiology; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D005260:Female; D016174:Hepacivirus / Q000187:drug effects*; D019698:Hepatitis C, Chronic / Q000097:blood / Q000188:drug therapy*; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D016898:Interferon-alpha / Q000008:administration & dosage; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009842:Oligopeptides / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000009:adverse effects*; D051437:Renal Insufficiency / Q000139:chemically induced; D012254:Ribavirin / Q000008:administration & dosage; D013997:Time Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D019562:Viral Load / Q000187:drug effects*
chemical_list: D000998:Antiviral Agents; D015415:Biomarkers; D016898:Interferon-alpha; D009842:Oligopeptides; D012254:Ribavirin; C486464:telaprevir