Late presentation for hepatitis C treatment: prevalence and risk factors in the Swiss Hepatitis C Cohort

OBJECTIVE Patients with 'late presentation' (LP) of chronic hepatitis C infection (HCV) have already developed advanced liver disease before receiving direct-acting antiviral (DAA) treatment. Even after successful treatment, the risk of morbidity and premature death remains elevated, leading to an unnecessary disease burden. This study aimed to assess the prevalence of LP within the prospective observational Swiss Hepatitis C Cohort (SCCS) and evaluate risk factors as determinants of LP. METHODS Treatment-naïve participants of SCCS who received DAA treatment between 2014 and 2019 were included. Demographic, clinical and behavioural data were compared between the LP and non-LP strata. LP prevalence was calculated over time and by year. LASSO regression was used to identify potential risk factors for LP, and odds ratios were calculated by refitting logistic regression models. RESULTS In this explorative, retrospective case-control study using data of n = 5829 SCCS members, a total of 21.3% received their first HCV treatment. The cumulative LP prevalence decreased from mid-2015 and stabilised at 46.5% (n = 579) by the end of 2019. Male gender, higher age and a history of alcohol overuse were associated with a higher risk of LP. CONCLUSION Despite the study's limitations, LP prevalence was higher than anticipated, considering Switzerland's availability period and universal access to DAAs. Therefore, any HCV LP should be viewed as a healthcare system failure, primarily in high-income economies. As LP is directly linked to the disease burden, it must be included as a mandatory parameter in surveillance response systems of HCV elimination programs

A genetic validation study reveals a role of vitamin D metabolism in the response to interferon-alfa-based therapy of chronic hepatitis C

Background: To perform a comprehensive study on the relationship between vitamin D metabolism and the response to interferon-α-based therapy of chronic hepatitis C. Methodology/Principal Findings: Associations between a functionally relevant polymorphism in the gene encoding the vitamin D 1α-hydroxylase (CYP27B1-1260 rs10877012) and the response to treatment with pegylated interferon-α (PEG-IFN-α) and ribavirin were determined in 701 patients with chronic hepatitis C. In addition, associations between serum concentrations of 25-hydroxyvitamin D3 (25[OH]D3) and treatment outcome were analysed. CYP27B1-1260 rs10877012 was found to be an independent predictor of sustained virologic response (SVR) in patients with poor-response IL28B genotypes (15% difference in SVR for rs10877012 genotype AA vs. CC, p = 0.02, OR = 1.52, 95% CI = 1.061–2.188), but not in patients with favourable IL28B genotype. Patients with chronic hepatitis C showed a high prevalence of vitamin D insufficiency (25[OH]D3<20 ng/mL) during all seasons, but 25(OH)D3 serum levels were not associated with treatment outcome. Conclusions/Significance: Our study suggests a role of bioactive vitamin D (1,25[OH]2D3, calcitriol) in the response to treatment of chronic hepatitis C. However, serum concentration of the calcitriol precursor 25(OH)D3 is not a suitable predictor of treatment outcome

Trends in hepatitis C-related mortality in Switzerland

In order to accurately assess the burden of hepatitis C (HCV) and develop effective interventions, we must understand the magnitude and trends of mortality related to the disease. In the United States, HCV-related mortality is continuously increasing. We have no comparable data for Switzerland and other European countries, although a modelling study predicted a similar increase. We analysed time trends (1 January 1995-31 December 2014) in HCV-specific mortality rates in the Swiss general population using the death registry of the Swiss Federal Statistical Office (SFSO). We compared HCV-related mortality to HIV-related and hepatitis B (HBV)-related mortality. To determine potential under-reporting in HCV-related mortality, we probabilistically linked the SFSO data to persons who died in the Swiss Hepatitis C Cohort Study (SCCS). SFSO data showed that HCV-related mortality more than doubled between 1995 and 2003, but has since stabilized at ~2.5/100 000 person-years. Since 2000, HCV-related mortality has been higher than HIV-related mortality and was about fivefold higher in 2014. HBV-related mortality remained low at ~0.5/100 000 person-years. Of 4556 persons in the SCCS, 421 have died and 86.2% could be linked to the death registry. According to the SCCS, 133 deaths were HCV-related. HCV was not mentioned on the SFSO death certificate of 45% of these (n = 60/133). In conclusion, HCV-related mortality remained constant, possibly because quality of care was high, or because of under-reporting or because mortality has not yet increased. However, HCV-related mortality is now much higher than HIV- and HBV-related mortality, and under-reporting was common

Liver kidney microsomal type 1 antibodies reduce the CYP2D6 activity in patients with chronic hepatitis C virus infection.

Liver kidney microsomal type 1 (LKM-1) antibodies have been shown to decrease the CYP2D6 activity in vitro and are present in a minority of patients with chronic hepatitis C infection. We investigated whether LKM-1 antibodies might reduce the CYP2D6 activity in vivo. All patients enrolled in the Swiss Hepatitis C Cohort Study and tested for LKM-1 antibodies were assessed (n = 1723): 10 eligible patients were matched with patients without LKM-1 antibodies. Patients were genotyped for CYP2D6 variants to exclude individuals with a poor metabolizer genotype. CYP2D6 activity was measured by a specific substrate using the dextromethorphan/dextrorphan metabolic ratio to classify patients into four activity phenotypes. All patients had a CYP2D6 extensive metabolizer genotype. The observed phenotype was concordant with the CYP2D6 genotype in most LKM-negative patients, whereas only three LKM-1 positive patients had a concordant phenotype (six presented an intermediate and one a poor metabolizer phenotype). The median DEM/DOR ratio was sixfold higher in LKM-1 positive than in LKM-1 negative patients (0.096 vs. 0.016, P = 0.004), indicating that CYP2D6 metabolic function was significantly reduced in the presence of LKM-1 antibodies. In chronic hepatitis C patients with LKM-1 antibodies, the CYP2D6 metabolic activity was on average reduced by 80%. The impact of LKM-1 antibodies on CYP2D6-mediated drug metabolism pathways warrants further translational studies

Viral genotype-specific role of PNPLA3, PPARG, MTTP, and IL28B in hepatitis C virus-associated steatosis.

BACKGROUND &amp; AIMS: Steatosis is a prominent feature of hepatitis C, especially in patients infected with genotype 3. The analysis of genetic polymorphisms influencing steatosis in chronic hepatitis C has been limited by the studies' small sample size, and important single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs), such as those in the patatin-like phospholipase family 3 protein (PNPLA3), were never evaluated. METHODS: We analyzed the role of SNPs, from 19 systematically selected candidate genes, on steatosis in 626 Caucasian hepatitis C virus (HCV) infected patients. SNPs were extracted from a genome-wide association-generated dataset. Associations of alleles with the presence and/or different severity of steatosis were evaluated by univariate and multivariate logistic regression, accounting for all relevant covariates. RESULTS: The risk of steatosis was increased by carriage of I148M in PNPLA3, but only in patients with HCV genotypes non-3 (odds ratio [OR]=1.9, 95% confidence interval [CI]=1.6-2.3, p&lt;0.001) and similar, albeit weaker associations were found for SNPs in peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-γ (PPARG) and interleukin-28B (IL28B). Carriage of a SNP in the microsomal triglyceride transfer protein (MTTP) increased the risk of steatosis, but only in patients with HCV genotype 3 (rs1800803, OR=3.4, 95% CI=2.4-4.9, p=0.001). CONCLUSIONS: The rs738409 SNP in PNPLA3 is associated with an increased risk of steatosis in patients infected with HCV genotypes non-3. Host genes affect steatosis depending on the infecting HCV genotype, suggesting their interaction with viral factors