title: Sofosbuvir-based treatment is safe and effective in patients with chronic hepatitis C infection and end stage renal disease: a case series.
abstract: Interferon and ribavirin-free regimens to treat chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection in patients with end stage renal disease are not approved and represent an area of unmet clinical need. We report our experience on the safety and efficacy of sofosbuvir/simeprevir and sofosbuvir/ledipasvir therapy in patients on haemodialysis.
  
  
  
  Patients with chronic HCV infection on haemodialysis were included in this study. Patients were started on either sofosbuvir/simeprevir or sofosbuvir/ledipasvir. Routine clinical and laboratory data were collected at baseline and during treatment. The primary outcome was sustained virological response at week 12 (SVR12).
  
  
  
  Eight patients with mean age 56.8 ± 20 years were included in this study. Seven were treatment naïve and one was a priori null responder to interferon-based therapy. Four patients were started on sofosbuvir/simeprevir and four on sofosbuvir/ledipasvir for 12 weeks. Therapy was well tolerated overall with nausea/vomiting, pruritus, headache and a 2 g/dl drop in haemoglobin developing in one patient each. No patient discontinued therapy because of side effects. Comparison of labs at baseline and nadir levels during treatment revealed no significant change in haemoglobin (10.8 ± 2.4 g/dl vs 10.3 ± 1.6 g/dl), platelet count (198 ± 164 k/μl vs 184.5 ± 162/μl) and bilirubin (0.3 ± 0.4 mg/dl vs 0.25 ± 0.15 mg/dl). Eight of eight patients had undetectable HCV RNA at the end of treatment. One patient was lost to follow up and the remaining seven achieved SVR12.
  
  
  
  Full dose sofosbuvir/simeprevir or sofosbuvir/ledipasvir therapy for HCV-infected patients with end stage renal disease was well tolerated with no discontinuation owing to side effects and no significant adverse events.
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, OH, USA.
authors.forename: Tavankit
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Singh
authors.affiliation: Digestive Disease Institute, Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, OH, USA.
authors.forename: John
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Guirguis
authors.affiliation: Digestive Disease Institute, Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, OH, USA.
authors.forename: Sumi
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Anthony
authors.affiliation: Digestive Disease Institute, Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, OH, USA.
authors.forename: John
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Rivas
authors.affiliation: Digestive Disease Institute, Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, OH, USA.
authors.forename: Ibrahim A
authors.initials: IA
authors.lastname: Hanouneh
authors.affiliation: Digestive Disease Institute, Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, OH, USA.|Department of Pediatric Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, OH, USA.
authors.forename: Naim
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Alkhouri
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000998:Antiviral Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000009:adverse effects; D001562:Benzimidazoles / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000009:adverse effects; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D005260:Female; D005449:Fluorenes / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000009:adverse effects; D005919:Glomerular Filtration Rate; D016174:Hepacivirus; D019698:Hepatitis C, Chronic / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy*; D006801:Humans; D007676:Kidney Failure, Chronic / Q000150:complications / Q000628:therapy; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009820:Ohio; D006435:Renal Dialysis; D000069616:Simeprevir / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects; D000069474:Sofosbuvir / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000009:adverse effects; D000072230:Sustained Virologic Response
chemical_list: D000998:Antiviral Agents; D001562:Benzimidazoles; D005449:Fluorenes; C586541:ledipasvir; D000069616:Simeprevir; D000069474:Sofosbuvir
keywords: end stage renal disease; hepatitis C; sofosbuvir; treatment