title: Treatment options in patients with decompensated cirrhosis, pre- and post-transplantation.
abstract: Interferon-based treatments have a poor safety profile and limited efficacy in patients with advanced liver disease and in patients with hepatitis C (HCV) recurrence after liver transplantation (LT). Despite the recent approval of the first interferon-free regimen, which will be followed by several other interferon-free combinations in 2014 and 2015, data in patients with advanced cirrhosis and hepatitis C after LT are still limited. One study has already proven the concept that graft HCV infection can be prevented in a significant proportion of patients by treating them with sofosbuvir and ribavirin while awaiting LT. Two interferon-free regimens have also demonstrated a high efficacy in patients with hepatitis C recurrence after transplantation. Before these treatment strategies can be implemented in clinical practice, a few issues need to be addressed: (1) safety and efficacy of new antivirals in patients with decompensated cirrhosis, (2) the impact of viral clearance on liver function, (3) the potential consequences of virological failure (and the selection of multi-drug resistant HCV strains) in patients with decompensated cirrhosis or with severe hepatitis C recurrence after LT, and (4) drug-drug interactions (DDI) profiles. Finally, in the transplant setting it is also relevant to learn which strategy is most cost-effective in minimizing the negative impact of hepatitis C: preventing graft infection by treating patients before transplantation or treating hepatitis C recurrence after LT.
authors.affiliation: Liver Unit, Hospital Clinic, IDIBAPS and CIBEREHD, University of Barcelona, Spain.
authors.forename: Martina
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Gambato
authors.affiliation: Liver Unit, Hospital Clinic, IDIBAPS and CIBEREHD, University of Barcelona, Spain.
authors.forename: Sabela
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Lens
authors.affiliation: Liver Unit, Hospital Clinic, IDIBAPS and CIBEREHD, University of Barcelona, Spain.
authors.forename: Miquel
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Navasa
authors.affiliation: Liver Unit, Hospital Clinic, IDIBAPS and CIBEREHD, University of Barcelona, Spain. Electronic address: xforns@clinic.ub.es.
authors.forename: Xavier
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Forns
mesh_terms: D000998:Antiviral Agents / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000191:economics / Q000627:therapeutic use; D003362:Cost-Benefit Analysis; D006526:Hepatitis C / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000191:economics / Q000517:prevention & control*; D006801:Humans; D008103:Liver Cirrhosis / Q000601:surgery*; D017093:Liver Failure / Q000601:surgery*; D016031:Liver Transplantation; D011182:Postoperative Care / Q000379:methods*; D011300:Preoperative Care / Q000379:methods*; D012008:Recurrence; D013997:Time Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014850:Waiting Lists
chemical_list: D000998:Antiviral Agents
keywords: Adverse events; DAA; Decompensated cirrhosis; Fibrosis regression; HCV recurrence; Liver transplantation; Sustained virologic response; Waiting list