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Polypharmacy and Comorbidity Are Associated with a Lower Early Virologic Response in Hepatitis C Patients Treated with First Generation Protease Inhibitor Triple Therapy: A Preliminary Analysis

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Abstract

Background and Aims

The protease inhibitors (PIs) boceprevir and telaprevir are currently standard treatment as part of triple therapy regimens (TTx) for chronic HCV genotype 1 (GT1) patients. In this preliminary analysis, we have compared demographic variables, polypharmacy, and Charlson’s comorbid index (CCI) with Rapid Virological Response (RVR) and extended RVR (eRVR) rates in HCV GT1 patients receiving PI containing TTx.

Methods

Retrospective descriptive cohort study.

Results

Among 74 HCV patients (46 M, 28 F; age: 54.43 ± 9.52 years; African Americans: 59.5 %) in this initial analysis, 44 % achieved RVR. All these RVR patients also achieved eRVR. Patients achieving RVR and eRVR were 50 ± 11.7 (mean ± SD) years old, compared to 58 ± 5.2 years without an RVR (p < 0.005). The average number of medications taken by patients achieving RVR and eRVR was 5 ± 2.7 compared to 9.24 ± 3.4 in patients not achieving RVR and eRVR (p < 0.005). Twenty-five percent of patients who were not on CYP3A4 inhibitors had an RVR and eRVR compared to 63.2 % who were taking CYP3A4 inhibitors (p = 0.001). Patients achieving RVR and eRVR had a lower CCI (1.61 ± 1.37) compared to those not achieving RVR and eRVR (2.8 ± 2.7; p = 0.02). Multivariate analysis also revealed a significant correlation between increased polypharmacy and CCI with lower RVR and eRVR rates.

Conclusions

These preliminary treatment data demonstrate that increased polypharmacy and higher degrees of comorbidity decrease RVR and eRVR rates among patients receiving first generation PI-containing TTx regimens.

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Conflict of interest

There was no funding for the study or for the preparation of this manuscript. None of the authors have any financial disclosures related to this study. Dr. Lewis is on Speaker’s bureau for Vertex pharmaceuticals and Merk.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Medicine, Medstar Georgetown University Hospital, 3800 Reservoir Road, NW, G3041 Gorman Bldg, 3rd floor, Washington, DC, 20007-2113, USA

    Manie Juneja

  2. Gastroenterology, Medstar Georgetown University Hospital, Washington, DC, USA

    Rebekah Euliano

  3. Medstar Georgetown Transplant Institute, Medstar Georgetown University Hospital, Washington, DC, USA

    Rohit Satoskar

  4. Gastroenterology, Medstar Georgetown University Hospital, Washington, DC, USA

    James H. Lewis

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  1. Manie Juneja
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  2. Rebekah Euliano
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  4. James H. Lewis
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Correspondence to Manie Juneja.

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Juneja, M., Euliano, R., Satoskar, R. et al. Polypharmacy and Comorbidity Are Associated with a Lower Early Virologic Response in Hepatitis C Patients Treated with First Generation Protease Inhibitor Triple Therapy: A Preliminary Analysis. Dig Dis Sci 58, 3348–3358 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10620-013-2812-9

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10620-013-2812-9

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