title: Efficacy and safety of simeprevir in combination with peginterferon and ribavirin for patients with hepatitis C genotype 1 infection: a meta-analysis of randomized trials.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  A simeprevir (SMV)-based regimen has shown promising results in treating chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection. This meta-analysis aimed to assess the efficacy and safety of simeprevir for treating HCV genotype 1 infection.
  
  
  METHODS
  MEDLINE, EMBASE, and the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials were searched, along with the reference lists of retrieved articles. The meta-analysis only included randomized controlled trials (RCTs) that compared the efficacy and safety of addition of SMV to peginterferon (PegIFN) and ribavirin (RBV) (triple regimen) with PegIFN/RBV alone (dual regimen) in treating chronic HCV genotype 1 infection.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A total of seven RCTs involving 2,301 patients were included. The triple regimen had a higher pooled sustained virologic response (SVR) rate [odds ratio (OR) = 4.57; 95% confidence interval (CI): 3.34-6.27; p < 0.001)] and lower pooled relapse rate [relative risk (RR) = 0.41; 95% CI: 0.33-0.50; p < 0.001] than the dual regimen had. The pooled incidence of adverse events (AEs) was comparable between the two regimens (RR = 1.01; 95% CI: 0.99-1.03; p = 0.339), whereas the incidence of serious AEs in the triple regimen was lower (RR = 0.7; 95% CI: 0.50-0.98; p < 0.05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The meta-analysis demonstrates that the addition of SMV to pegIFN and RBV is effective and well-tolerated in treating chronic HCV genotype 1 infection, with a low incidence of AEs.
authors.affiliation: Liver Research Center, Being Friendship Hospital, Capital Medical Univers, China.
authors.forename: Xianghua
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Cui
authors.affiliation: Clinical Epidemiology and EBM Unit, Being Friendship Hospital, Capital Medical Univers, China.
authors.forename: Yuanyuan
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Kong
authors.affiliation: Liver Research Center, Being Friendship Hospital, Capital Medical Univers, China.
authors.forename: Jidong
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Jia
mesh_terms: D000998:Antiviral Agents / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D005838:Genotype; D016174:Hepacivirus / Q000235:genetics*; D019698:Hepatitis C, Chronic / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000821:virology*; D006801:Humans; D007372:Interferons / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D016032:Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic; D012254:Ribavirin / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000069616:Simeprevir / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000627:therapeutic use*
chemical_list: D000998:Antiviral Agents; D012254:Ribavirin; D007372:Interferons; D000069616:Simeprevir