Adherence to treatment for recently acquired hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection among injecting drug users

J Hepatol. 2010 Nov 23. [Epub ahead of print]

Grebely J, Matthews GV, Hellard M, Shaw D, van Beek I, Petoumenos K, Alavi M, Yeung B, Haber PS, Lloyd AR, Kaldor JM, Dore GJ; for the ATAHC Study Group.

National Centre in HIV Epidemiology and Clinical Research, University of New South Wales (UNSW), Sydney.

Abstract

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Adherence to HCV therapy impacts sustained virological response (SVR), but there are limited data on adherence, particularly among injecting drug users (IDUs). We assessed 80/80 adherence (>80% of PEG-IFN doses, >80% treatment), on-treatment adherence and treatment completion in a study of treatment of recent HCV infection (ATAHC)

METHODS: Participants with HCV received pegylated interferon (PEG-IFN) alfa-2a (180 μg/week, n=74); those with HCV/HIV received PEG-IFN alfa-2a with ribavirin (n=35). Everyone received 24 weeks of therapy. Logistic regression analyses were used to identify predictors of PEG-IFN 80/80 adherence.

RESULTS: Of 163, 109 received treatment (HCV, n=74; HCV/HIV, n=35), with 75% ever reporting IDU. The proportion with 80/80 PEG-IFN adherence was 82% (n=89). During treatment, 14% missed >1 dose (on-treatment adherence=99%). Completion of 0-4, 5-19, 20-23 and all 24 weeks of PEG-IFN therapy occurred in 10% (n=11), 14% (n=15), 6% (n=7) and 70% (n=76), respectively. Participants with no tertiary education were less likely to have 80/80 PEG-IFN adherence (AOR 0.29,P=0.045). IDU prior to or during treatment did not impact 80/80 PEG-IFN adherence. SVR was higher among those with >80/80 PEG-IFN adherence (67% vs. 35%,P=0.007), but similar among those with and without missed doses during therapy (73% vs. 60%,P=0.309). SVR in those discontinuing therapy between 0-4, 5-19, 20-23 and 24 weeks was 9%, 33%, 43% and 76%, respectively (P<0.001).

CONCLUSION: High adherence to treatment for recent HCV was observed, irrespective of IDU prior to, or during, therapy. Sub-optimal PEG-IFN exposure was mainly driven by early treatment discontinuation rather than missed doses during therapy.

Copyright © 2010. Published by Elsevier B.V.

PMID: 21145855 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher]

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