Efficacy and Safety of Direct-Acting Antivirals in Patients with Hepatitis C Infection: Nationwide Real-life Data from Türkiye
Year: 2026
Type: article
Study design: Observational Study
Abstract: Background/Aims: Chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection constitutes a substantial healthcare concern in Türkiye. The clinical application of direct-acting antiviral medications (DAAs) has transformed its management. The goal is to assess the efficacy and safety of DAAs in the real-world setting in Turkish patients with chronic HCV. Materials and Methods: Thirty-seven centers from Türkiye recorded 1807 patients to the database. Patients aged >18 years were enrolled to the study. Their demographics, clinical information, DAAs used, efficacy, and safety information were evaluated. Efficacy and safety results were reported for patients with 12-week post-treatment (SVR12) data. Results: Among the patients, 919 (50.9%) were female with a mean of age 56 ± 15 years (range:18-97 years) and 238 (13%) were cirrhotic. Liver biopsy was performed in 296 patients. Mean histologic activity index score was 7.68 and fibrosis score was 2.58. Baseline mean viral load was 4.11×106 copies/mL. Patients received the following treatments: Paritaprevir+Ritonavir+Ombitasvir+Dasabuvir (PrOD):706, Ledipasvir+Sofosbuvir:490, Sofosbuvir+Ribavirin:176, PrOD+Ribavirin:175, Ledipasvir+Sofosbuvir+Ribavirin:156, PrO+Ribavirin:32, and PrO:10. Response at the end of treatment was 99.2% (1454/1465) and SVR12 was 97.8% (1289/1318). The DAAs were generally well tolerated. Ten and 13 patients discontinued therapy because of drug-related and unrelated adverse side effects, respectively. Conclusion: This real-world study demonstrated that DAA treatment for HCV is both safe and highly effective. In two-thirds of the patients, the hepatic inflammation is moderate to severe, and fibrosis is moderate to advanced in half of them. Patients' characteristics suggest that HCV infection is often not diagnosed or treated until patients present with moderate-to-severe stage, indicating that diagnostic and therapeutic approaches should be used more effectively.
Authors: Alper Gunduz, Nefise Çuvalcı Öztoprak, Nagehan Didem Sarı, Behice Kurtaran, Yusuf Önlen, Ebubekir Senates, Esra Zerdali, Hasan Karsen, Ayse Batırel, Rıdvan Kara Ali, Rahmet Güner, Tansu Yamazhan, Sukran Kose, Nurettin Erben, Nevin Ince, İftihar Köksal, Figen Sarıgül Yıldırım, Gulsen Yoruk, Suheyla Komur, Tayibe Bal, Sibel Kaya, Şaban Esen, Özgür Günal, Ilknur Esen Yıldız, Dilara Inan, Şener Barut, Mustafa Namıduru, Selma Tosun, Kamuran Türker, Alper Sener, Kenan Hızel, Nurcan Baykam, Fazilet Duygu, Esragül Akıncı, Güray Can, Ulku User, Hanefi Cem Gül, Ayhan Akbulut, Güven Çelebi, Mahmut Sünnetçioğlu, Oğuz Karabay, Hayat Kumbasar Karaosmanoğlu, Fatma Sırmatel, Fehmi Tabak
Institutions: Şişli Etfal Eğitim ve Araştırma Hastanesi, Antalya Eğitim ve Araştırma Hastanesi, İstanbul Eğitim ve Araştırma Hastanesi, Cukurova University, Mustafa Kemal University, Istanbul Medeniyet University, Haseki Eğitim ve Araştırma Hastanesi, Harran University, Recep Tayyip Erdoğan University, Tekirdağ Namık Kemal University, Ankara Yıldırım Beyazıt University, Ege University, Izmir Tepecik Eğitim ve Araştırma Hastanesi, Eskişehir Osmangazi University, Düzce Üniversitesi, Karadeniz Technical University, Istanbul University-Cerrahpaşa, Istanbul University, Akdeniz University, Tokat Gaziosmanpaşa Üniversitesi, Gaziantep University, Izmir Bozyaka Eğitim ve Araştırma Hastanesi, Bağcılar Eğitim ve Araştırma Hastanesi, Çanakkale Onsekiz Mart Üniversitesi, Gazi University, Hitit Üniversitesi, Ankara Dr. Abdurrahman Yurtaslan Oncology Training and Research Hospital, Ankara Numune Eğitim ve Araştırma Hastanesi, Bolu Abant İzzet Baysal University, Gülhane Eğitim ve Araştırma Hastanesi, Fırat University, Zonguldak Bülent Ecevit University, Van Yüzüncü Yıl Üniversitesi, Sakarya University, Bakırköy Dr.Sadi Konuk Eğitim ve Araştırma Hastanesi
Language: English
Topic: Hepatitis C virus research
Subfield: Hepatology
Field: Medicine
Domain: Health Sciences
Open Access status: diamond
Funder: Gilead Sciences
OpenAlex ID: W7153282696
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