Long-term durability of sustained virologic response for hepatitis C virus infection in solid organ transplant recipients receiving direct-acting antivirals

Abstract

Data are limited regarding the long-term durability of sustained virologic response (SVR) in solid organ transplant recipients who achieve SVR12 with direct-acting antivirals (DAAs) for hepatitis C virus (HCV). We reported the virologic outcomes in 42 recipients who received DAAs for acute or chronic HCV infection after heart, liver, and kidney transplantation. After achieving SVR12, all recipients received HCV RNA surveys at SVR24, and biannually until the last visit. If HCV viremia was detected during the follow-up period, direct sequencing and phylogenetic analysis were performed to confirm late relapse or reinfection. Sixteen (38.1%), 11 (26.2%), and 15 (35.7%) patients underwent heart, liver and, kidney transplantation. Thirty-eight (90.5%) received sofosbuvir (SOF)-based DAAs. No recipients had late relapse or reinfection after a median (range) of post-SVR12 follow-up 4.0 (1.0–6.0) years. We demonstrate that the durability of SVR in solid organ transplant recipients is excellent once SVR12 is achieved with DAAs.

Keywords

• Hepatitis C virus
• Direct-acting antiviral
• Organ transplantation
• Sustained virologic response
• Durability