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Background and Objective. The direct-acting antiviral agents (DAAs) antiviral therapy has drastically improved the prognosis of hepatitis C virus (HCV) patients. However, the viral drug resistance-associated variants (RAVs) can limit the efficacy of DAAs. For the HCV-6a is not the predominant prevalent genotype; the data on the prevalence of naturally occurring RAVs in it is scarce. Our study aims to assess the prevalence of RAVs in treatment-naive HCV-6a patients. Methods. Nested PCR assays were performed on 95 HCV-6a patients to amplify HCV viral regions of NS3, NS5A, and NS5B. Results. In NS3/4A region, we detected Q80K in 95.5% isolates (84/88) and D168E in 2.3% isolates (2/88). In NS5A region, we detected Q30R in 93.2% isolates (82/88), L31M in 4.6% isolates (4/88), and H58P in 6.8% isolates (6/88). In NS5B region, we detected A15G in 2.3% isolates (2/88), S96T in 1.1% isolates (1/88), and S282T in 20.7% isolates (17/88) and we detected I482L in 100% isolates (4/4), V494A in 50% isolates (2/4), and V499A in 100% isolates (4/4). Conclusions. RAVs to DAAs preexist in treatment-naive HCV-6a patients. Further studies should address the issue of the impact of RAVs in response to DAA therapies for HCV-6a patients.

Few studies have conducted follow-up investigations of the clinical course in HCV-related cirrhotic patients who achieved a sustained virological response (SVR) with pegylated interferon plus ribavirin treatment (PegIFN + RBV). We investigated the clinical course and laboratory data in a prospective cohort study enrolling HCV-related cirrhotic patients who received PegIFN + RBV between August 2008 and July 2013 in China. Complete blood counts, liver function tests, and HCV-RNA were serially examined. Liver-related complications were recorded. To detect hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), alpha-fetoprotein assays, and ultrasound scans were repeated at 6-month intervals. Twenty-five patients were enrolled, including 8 patients with decompensation events before treatment. Eighteen patients achieved SVR with a mean follow-up period of 25.78 months. During the follow-up period, only one patient exhibited HCV-RNA positivity and no decompensation events were detected, but 4 patients developed HCC after SVR. APRI decreased more in patients with SVR than in patients with non-SVR (median, −1.33 versus 0.86,P<0.001). The albumin levels and platelet counts significantly increased during the follow-up period after SVR (44.27±4.09versus42.63±4.37,P=0.037and173.89±87.36versus160.11±77.97,P=0.047). These data indicated that HCV-related cirrhotic patients with SVR after PegIFN + RBV may have a favorable clinical course and improvements in laboratory data. Moreover, HCC should be monitored.