Sofosbuvir and ribavirin given before liver transplantation prevented most cases of post-transplant HCV recurrence, according to Dr. Michael P. Curry, of Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Boston, and his colleagues.
Up to 48 weeks of sofosbuvir (400 mg) and ribavirin were given to hepatocellular carcinoma patients on organ transplant waitlists. The patients had HCV of any genotype and cirrhosis (Child–Turcotte–Pugh score of 7 or less). The primary end point of the study (ClinicalTrials.gov: NCT01559844) was the proportion of 43 patients who had HCV-RNA levels of less than 25 IU/ml at transplant and at 12 weeks after transplant.
Of the 43 patients, 30 (70%) had a post-transplantation virologic response at 12 weeks, 10 (23%) had recurrent infection, and 3 (7%) died, the researchers reported in the January issue of Gastroenterology.
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