CLINICAL PROFILE AND TREATMENT RESPONSE TO SOFOSBUVIR-VELPATASVIR REGIMEN AND ITS IMPACT ON THE QUALITY OF LIFE IN CHRONIC HEPATITIS C PATIENTS

Abstract

Objective: Chronic Hepatitis C infection is one of the major global contributors to liver-related morbidity and mortality. Successful antiviral therapy with the direct-acting antiviral combination sofosbuvir-velpatasvir has shown to improve survival, liver-related outcomes, all-cause mortality, and even reverse fibrosis. We evaluated the treatment response of this regimen in terms of its impact on the Quality of life of patients during and after the therapy. Methods: This is an Observational, prospective, descriptive study of serologic HCV RNA-positive cases. Data on change in clinical, biochemical profile, and quality of life using 2 standardized questionnaires SF-36 and CLDQ was analyzed at baseline, 12 w from baseline, and 24 w after therapy cessation. Results: 62 out of the 87 patients registered during the study completed the desired study duration. 95% achieved sustained virological response (SVR) at 12 w and 100% at 24 w from baseline. Improved clinical profile with symptom resolution and change in the biochemical parameters and quality-of-life scores was statistically significant (P value-<0.001 and 0.005) at 12 w from baseline and 24 w after therapy cessation, respectively. Conclusion: Patients achieving SVR with sofosbuvir-velpatasvir have been shown to improve clinical profile with normalization in biochemical markers of liver disease, which is reflected in all the quality-of-life domains of SF-36 and CLDQ-HCV. However, long-term follow-up with larger sample size is required for improved study validity and to improve long-term liver-related outcomes.