Efficacy and safety of glecaprevir/pibrentasvir treatment in Koreans with chronic hepatitis C: A retrospective study.

BACKGROUND AND STUDY AIMS: The introduction of direct-acting antiviral (DAA) drugs has dramatically improved chronic hepatitis C (CHC) treatment. The pangenotype DAA therapy glecaprevir/pibrentasvir (G/P) was recently recommended for treating CHC in Korea. Unfortunately, given its recent introduction, little real-world data from a Korean population exists. We examined the effectiveness and safety of G/P treatment in Koreans with CHC. PATIENTS AND METHODS: We analyzed CHC patients at Samsung Changwon Hospital from June 2018 to December 2020. Sustained virologic response at 12 weeks posttreatment (SVR 12) was evaluated after treatment, and the associated factors were analyzed. Furthermore, the degree of liver fibrosis before and after treatment was compared to determine whether liver fibrosis improved. RESULTS: In total, 102 patients were enrolled; 35.3 % had compensated liver cirrhosis (LC), and 11.8 % had received previous treatment. Of the 102 patients, 99 (97.1 %) reached SVR 12. Of the 81 patients who completed 8 weeks of G/P treatment, 80 (98.8 %) reached SVR 12, while 19 of the 21 (90.5 %) patients in the 12- or 16-week group reached SVR 12, with no significant difference between the two groups (P = 0.107). As a secondary endpoint, liver fibrosis before and after treatment was also compared. The Fibrosis-4 index (FIB-4) (3.3 vs 2.8, P = 0.010), aspartate transaminase (AST)-platelet ratio index (APRI) (1.3 vs 1.0, P < 0.001), and liver stiffness measurements (LSM) (9.5 vs 4.6, P < 0.001) were significantly different after G/P treatment. CONCLUSIONS: Regardless of genotype, G/P treatment for Koreans with CHC is safe, highly effective, and can improve liver fibrosis.

[A case of ischemic skin necrosis after glypressin therapy in liver cirrhosis].

Terlipressin is a synthetic analogue of vasopressin, which has been used in the treatment of acute variceal hemorrhage. In contrast to vasopressin, terlipressin can be administered as intermittent injections instead of continuous intravenous infusion. Thus, it has a less adverse reaction than vasopressin. We report a case of ischemic skin complication in a cirrhotic patient treated with terlipressin. A 71-year-old man with liver cirrhosis was admitted because of hematemesis and melena. He was commenced on terlipressin at a dose 1 mg every 6 hours for the treatment of varicieal bleeding. After 36 hours of treatment, skin blistering and ecchymosis was noted on the skin of his upper thigh, scrotal area and trunk. We found that terlipressin was a possible cause of ischemic skin complication based on the skin biopsy finding. Terlipressin may induce a complication of the ischemic event. In spite of rarity, special attention needs to paid on the peripheral ischemic complication of terlipressin.