HCV Reinfection in in HIV/HCV-coinfected Patients Achieving SVR by Antiviral Therapy

February 23, 2021 updated by: National Taiwan University Hospital

Risk of Hepatitis C Virus Reinfection in Human Immunodeficiency Virus and Hepatitis C Virus Coinfected Patients Achieving Sustained Virologic Response by Antiviral Therapy

Chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection remains a health burden in people living with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). Interferon (IFN)-based therapy is the treatment of choice for HCV infection for HIV coinfected patients in earlier years. However, the treatment responses are far from ideal and the treatment-emergent adverse events (AEs) are frequently encountered. Based on the excellent efficacy and safety, IFN-free direct acting antivirals (DAAs) have been the mainstay of therapy for HCV. Furthermore, the world health organization (WHO) has set the goal of global HCV elimination by 2030. The microelimination of HCV among HIV/HCV-coinfected patients is also listed as the prioritized target by WHO. Although the overall treatment response has improved dramatically during the past 5-10 years, several studies have indicated the HIV/HCV-coinfected patients had high risks of reinfection following successful antiviral treatment. The risk of HCV reinfection was reported to be 24.6% among HIV-positive men who have sex with men (MSM) in Austria, German, France and the United Kingdom who attained sustained virologic response (SVR) by IFN-based therapy. Two recent studies from Canada showed that the incidence of HCV reinfection in HIV-positive patients was higher that HIV-negative patients (3.44 vs. 1.13 per 100 person-year; 2.56 vs. 1.12 per 100 person-year). In Taiwan, 14.1% of the HIV-positive patients had HCV reinfection following treatment-induced or spontaneous viral clearance, resulting an incidence of 8.2 per 100 person-year with a total of 218.3 person-years of follow-up for these patients.

Because data regarding to the HCV reinfection in HIV-positive patients are still limited, where a more comprehensive assessment of HCV reinfection is important based on the perspectives of HCV microelimination among HIV-positive patients in Taiwan, the investigators thus aim to conduct a long-term, large-scale cohort study to assess the risk of HCV reinfection in HIV-positive patients achieving SVR after IFN-based or IFN-free therapies, and to assess the factors associated with different risks of reinfection in these patients.

Study Overview

Detailed Description

Chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection remains a health burden in people living with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). Compared to the midpoint prevalence rate of HCV coinfection to be 2.4% in the general HIV-positive population, the prevalence rates are higher among bisexual men (4.0%), gay men (6.4%), and people who inject drugs (PWIDs) (82.4%). Following the widespread use of antiretroviral therapy (ART) for HIV which improves the health outcome by reducing the acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS)-related deaths, the liver-related death has become a frequent cause of non-AIDS-related deaths in HIV-positive population. If HCV is left untreated, the HIV/HCV-coinfected patients may have higher risks of developing hepatic decompensation or hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) than HCV-monoinfected patients due to the accelerated progression of hepatic fibrosis.

Interferon (IFN)-based therapy is the treatment of choice for HCV infection for HIV coinfected patients in earlier years. However, the treatment responses are far from ideal and the treatment-emergent adverse events (AEs) are frequently encountered. Based on the excellent efficacy and safety, IFN-free direct acting antivirals (DAAs) have been the mainstay of therapy for HCV. Furthermore, the world health organization (WHO) has set the goal of global HCV elimination by 2030. The microelimination of HCV among HIV/HCV-coinfected patients is also listed as the prioritized target by WHO.

Although the overall treatment response has improved dramatically during the past 5-10 years, several studies have indicated the HIV/HCV-coinfected patients had high risks of reinfection following successful antiviral treatment. The risk of HCV reinfection was reported to be 24.6% among HIV-positive men who have sex with men (MSM) in Austria, German, France and the United Kingdom who attained sustained virologic response (SVR) by IFN-based therapy. Two recent studies from Canada showed that the incidence of HCV reinfection in HIV-positive patients was higher that HIV-negative patients (3.44 vs. 1.13 per 100 person-year; 2.56 vs. 1.12 per 100 person-year). In Taiwan, 14.1% of the HIV-positive patients had HCV reinfection following treatment-induced or spontaneous viral clearance, resulting an incidence of 8.2 per 100 person-year with a total of 218.3 person-years of follow-up for these patients.

Because data regarding to the HCV reinfection in HIV-positive patients are still limited, where a more comprehensive assessment of HCV reinfection is important based on the perspectives of HCV microelimination among HIV-positive patients in Taiwan, the investigators thus aim to conduct a long-term, large-scale cohort study to assess the risk of HCV reinfection in HIV-positive patients achieving SVR after IFN-based or IFN-free therapies, and to assess the factors associated with different risks of reinfection in these patients.

Study Type

Observational

Enrollment (Anticipated)

300

Contacts and Locations

This section provides the contact details for those conducting the study, and information on where this study is being conducted.

Study Contact

Study Locations

      • Douliu, Taiwan, 640
        • Recruiting
        • National Taiwan University Hospital, Yun-Lin branch
        • Contact:
      • Taichung, Taiwan, 40705
        • Recruiting
        • Taichung Veterans General Hospital
        • Contact:
      • Taichung, Taiwan, 40447
        • Recruiting
        • China Medical University Hospital
        • Contact:
      • Taipei, Taiwan, 10002
        • Recruiting
        • National Taiwan University Hospital
        • Contact:
      • Taipei, Taiwan
        • Recruiting
        • Tri-Service General Hospital
        • Contact:
      • Taipei, Taiwan, 110
        • Recruiting
        • Taipei Medical University Hospital
        • Contact:
      • Taipei, Taiwan, 10629
        • Recruiting
        • Taipei City Hospital, Ren-Ai Branch
        • Contact:

Participation Criteria

Researchers look for people who fit a certain description, called eligibility criteria. Some examples of these criteria are a person's general health condition or prior treatments.

Eligibility Criteria

Ages Eligible for Study

20 years and older (Adult, Older Adult)

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

No

Genders Eligible for Study

All

Sampling Method

Non-Probability Sample

Study Population

HIV/HCV-coinfected patients who undergo antiviral therapy for hepatitis C virus infection and who achieve sustained virologic response

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

  • Age old than 20 years old
  • Patients with human immunodeficiency virus coinfection (HIV) during IFN-based or IFN-free antiviral therapy for hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection
  • Patients achieving SVR, defined as undetectable serum HCV RNA at week 12 off-therapy

Exclusion Criteria:

  • Poor access to sites for venipuncture

Study Plan

This section provides details of the study plan, including how the study is designed and what the study is measuring.

How is the study designed?

Design Details

  • Observational Models: Cohort
  • Time Perspectives: Prospective

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Cumulative reinfection rate
Time Frame: Through study completion, an average of 3 years
Time-dependent accumulative proportion of participants with evidence of resurgence of HCV viremia from the time point of viral clearance after antiviral therapy to the time point of last follow-up
Through study completion, an average of 3 years

Collaborators and Investigators

This is where you will find people and organizations involved with this study.

Investigators

  • Principal Investigator: Chen-Hua Liu, MD, National Taiwan University Hospital

Study record dates

These dates track the progress of study record and summary results submissions to ClinicalTrials.gov. Study records and reported results are reviewed by the National Library of Medicine (NLM) to make sure they meet specific quality control standards before being posted on the public website.

Study Major Dates

Study Start (Actual)

February 9, 2021

Primary Completion (Anticipated)

February 1, 2024

Study Completion (Anticipated)

March 1, 2024

Study Registration Dates

First Submitted

February 21, 2021

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

February 21, 2021

First Posted (Actual)

February 24, 2021

Study Record Updates

Last Update Posted (Actual)

February 26, 2021

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

February 23, 2021

Last Verified

February 1, 2021

More Information

This information was retrieved directly from the website clinicaltrials.gov without any changes. If you have any requests to change, remove or update your study details, please contact register@clinicaltrials.gov. As soon as a change is implemented on clinicaltrials.gov, this will be updated automatically on our website as well.

Clinical Trials on Hepatitis C Virus Infection

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