Background
Direct‐acting antiviral (DAA) regimens have shown high efficacy and tolerability for patients with HCV genotype 1/1b (GT1/1b) in clinical trials. However, robust real‐world evidence of interferon (IFN)‐free DAA treatment for HCV GT1‐infected patients in Asia is still lacking.
Aim
To systematically review and meta‐analyse the effectiveness and tolerability of IFN‐free DAA therapy for HCV GT1 infection in Asia.
Methods
We included studies that enrolled adult patients with HCV GT1 infection in routine clinical practice in Asia, using IFN‐free DAA regimens, and reported sustained virological response (SVR) after 12/24 weeks end‐of‐treatment by 31 May 2017. The pooled SVR rates were computed with a random‐effects model. Subgroup analysis and meta‐regression as previously registered in PROSPERO were performed to determine how pre‐planned variables might have affected the pooled estimates.
Results
We included 41 studies from eight countries and regions, comprising of 8574 individuals. The pooled SVR rates for GT1 were 89.9% (95% CI 88.6‐91.1, I2 = 55.1%) with daclatasvir/asunaprevir (DCV/ASV) and 98.1% (95% CI 97.0‐99.0, I2 = 41.0%) with ledipasvir/sofosbuvir ± ribavirin (LDV/SOF ± RBV). Baseline cirrhosis but not prior treatment history and age, attenuated the effectiveness of both regimens. Baseline resistance associated substitutions (RASs) severely attenuated SVR of DCV/ASV (65.4% vs 94.3%, P < 0.001) and only minimally with LDV/SOF ± RBV (94.5% vs 99.2%, P = 0.003). Patients with renal dysfunction treated with DCV/ASV showed a higher SVR rate (93.9% vs 89.8%, P = 0.046). Patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) LDV/SOF ± RBV achieved a lower SVR than those without HCC (94.1% vs 98.7%, P = 0.001).
Conclusion
All oral DAA treatment of HCV GT1 resulted in high cure rates in Asian patients in routine clinical practice setting including elderly patients and those with end‐stage renal disease.