title: Therapy with Direct-Acting Antiviral Agents for Hepatitis C-Related Liver Cirrhosis.
abstract: Chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection may eventually lead to liver cirrhosis (LC), a condition associated with a high risk of liver failure and hepatocellular carcinoma. Although interferon (IFN)-based therapy has made substantial contributions to the management of HCV-infected patients, this therapy has limitations for LC patients in terms of eligibility, tolerability, relatively low and high rates of sustained virological response (SVR), and serious adverse events. Therapy with newly developed direct-acting antiviral agents (DAAs) can overcome these limitations in IFN-based therapy. Recent phase 3 trials have demonstrated that DAA therapy achieved high SVR rates (more than 90% for genotype 1; 80% to 90% for genotype 2; 60% to 70% for genotype 3) for compensated LC patients, with high tolerability and relatively low rates of serious adverse events. Furthermore, trials have suggested that DAA therapy can be used for the treatment of decompensated LC patients as well as pretransplant and posttransplant LC patients. In this article, we review the current status of DAA therapy for HCV-related LC patients.
authors.affiliation: Department of Hepatology, Kanazawa Medical University, Ishikawa, Japan.
authors.forename: Nobuyuki
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Toshikuni
mesh_terms: D000998:Antiviral Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D016174:Hepacivirus / Q000187:drug effects; D019698:Hepatitis C, Chronic / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy*; D006801:Humans; D016898:Interferon-alpha / Q000627:therapeutic use; D008103:Liver Cirrhosis / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000821:virology; D000072230:Sustained Virologic Response
chemical_list: D000998:Antiviral Agents; D016898:Interferon-alpha
keywords: Direct-acting antiviral agents; Hepatitis C virus; Liver cirrhosis