http://crdd.osdd.net/open/id/eprint/3379 2026-03-25T02:22:03Z info:eu-repo/semantics/descriptiveMetadata Recompensation of chronic hepatitis C-related decompensated cirrhosis following direct-acting antiviral therapy: Prospective cohort study from a hepatitis C virus elimination program Premkumar, Madhumita Dhiman, Radha K Duseja, Ajay Mehtani, Rohit Taneja, Sunil Gupta, Ekta Gupta, Pankaj Sandhu, Anchal Sharma, Prerna Rathi, Sahaj Verma, Nipun Kulkarni, Anand V Bhujade, Harish Chaluvashetty, Sreedhara B Kalra, Naveen Grover, Gagandeep S Nain, Jasvinder Reddy, K Rajender QR Microbiology BACKGROUND & AIMS: Chronic hepatitis C-related decompensated cirrhosis is associated with lower sustained virologic response (SVR)-12 rates and variable regression of disease severity after direct-acting antiviral agents. We assessed rates of SVR-12, recompensation (Baveno VII criteria), and survival in such patients. METHODS: Between July 2018 and July 2023, patients with decompensated chronic hepatitis C-related cirrhosis after direct-acting antiviral agents treatment were evaluated for SVR-12 and then had 6-monthly follow-up. RESULTS: Of 6516 patients with cirrhosis, 1152 with decompensated cirrhosis (age 53.2 ± 11.5 years; 63% men; Model for End-stage Liver Disease-Sodium MELD-Na: 16.5 $\pm$ 4.6; 87\% genotype 3) were enrolled. SVR-12 was 81.8\% after 1 course; ultimately SVR was 90.8\% after additional treatment. Decompensation events included ascites (1098; 95.3\%), hepatic encephalopathy (191; 16.6\%), and variceal bleeding (284; 24.7\%). Ascites resolved in 86\% (diuretic withdrawal achieved in 24\% patients). Recompensation occurred in 284 (24.7\%) at a median time of 16.5 (interquartile range, 14.5-20.5) months. On multivariable Cox proportional hazards analysis, low bilirubin (adjusted hazard ratio aHR, 0.6; 95\% confidence interval CI, 0.5-0.8; P < 0.001), international normalized ratio (aHR, 0.2; 95\% CI, 0.1-0.3; P < 0.001), absence of large esophageal varices (aHR, 0.4; 95\% CI, 0.2-0.9; P = 0.048), or gastric varices (aHR, 0.5; 95\% CI, 0.3-0.7; P = 0.022) predicted recompensation. Portal hypertension progressed in 158 (13.7\%) patients, with rebleed in 4\%. Prior decompensation with variceal bleeding (aHR, 1.6; 95\% CI, 1.2-2.8; P = 0.042), and presence of large varices (aHR, 2.9; 95\% CI, 1.3-6.5; P < 0.001) were associated with portal hypertension progression. Further decompensation was seen in 221 (19\%); 145 patients died and 6 underwent liver transplantation. A decrease in MELDNa of $\geq$3 was seen in 409 (35.5\%) and a final MELDNa score of <10 was seen in 335 (29\%), but 2.9\% developed hepatocellular carcinoma despite SVR-12. CONCLUSIONS: SVR-12 in hepatitis C virus-related decompensated cirrhosis in a predominant genotype 3 population led to recompensation in 24.7\% of patients over a follow-up of 4 years in a public health setting. Despite SVR-12, new hepatic decompensation evolved in 19\% and hepatocellular carcinoma developed in 2.9\% of patients. (ClinicalTrials.gov, Number: NCT03488485). Elsevier BV 2024-12-07 Article PeerReviewed https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0016508524053599?via%3Dihub Premkumar, Madhumita and Dhiman, Radha K and Duseja, Ajay and Mehtani, Rohit and Taneja, Sunil and Gupta, Ekta and Gupta, Pankaj and Sandhu, Anchal and Sharma, Prerna and Rathi, Sahaj and Verma, Nipun and Kulkarni, Anand V and Bhujade, Harish and Chaluvashetty, Sreedhara B and Kalra, Naveen and Grover, Gagandeep S and Nain, Jasvinder and Reddy, K Rajender (2024) Recompensation of chronic hepatitis C-related decompensated cirrhosis following direct-acting antiviral therapy: Prospective cohort study from a hepatitis C virus elimination program. Gastroenterology, 167 (7). pp. 1429-1445. http://crdd.osdd.net/open/3379/ info:eu-repo/semantics/humanStartPage