No HBV reactivation seen in adolescents treated for chronic HCV

Adolescent patients treated for chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) with direct-acting antiviral agents do not show reactivation of hepatitis B (HBV) infection, in both HBsAg positive or occult hepatitis B, a recent study has found.

HBV reactivation in patients treated for HCV with direct-acting antiviral agents has emerged recently as an important safety issue, but it has not been examined in young age groups. Thus, the authors sought to assess such risk in adolescents infected with chronic HCV and positive for HBsAg and HBcAbs.

A total of 115 patients aged 12 to 17 years were included in the analysis. All participants received 1 tablet daily of the fixed-dose combination sofosbuvir/ledipasvir for 12 weeks. They were closely monitored throughout the study for virus load, liver functions, and other safety and efficacy outcome measures.

The sustained virologic response 12 rates were 96.7 percent (95 percent confidence interval [CI], 88.6–99.1 percent) in the HBsAg group and 98.2 percent (95 percent CI, 90.4–99.7) in the HBsAg negative with HBcAbs positive group.

Not a single case in both HBsAg negative or positive showed any manifestation of reactivation of hepatitis B, detected levels of HBV-DNA, or deterioration of liver functions has been observed throughout the treatment period and the 12 weeks follow-up after treatment.

“Although results are reassuring, we still recommend close monitoring of liver functions to not miss even rare cases of such a potentially serious condition,” the authors said.