A new model to predict response to direct-acting antiviral therapy in decompensated cirrhotics due to hepatitis C virus

Aim of the study: Decompensated hepatitis C virus (HCV) cirrhosis is a difficult to treat cohort, and there is no gold standard predictor of response to direct-acting antiviral (DAA) therapy. We conducted this study to look for factors responsible for improvement in post-therapy status, i.e. attainment of Child-Turcotte-Pugh (CTP) class A from B or C, and devise a new model to predict post-therapy response. Material and methods: Prospective analysis of data from decompensated HCV cirrhotics was done and association of each parameter with patient outcomes at 36 weeks after treatment was assessed. Results 34 patients (54.8%) attained CTP class A after treatment. Factors that were independently associated with disease outcome included albumin (odds ratio [OR] = 4.84, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.43-20.15, p = 0.018), alanine transaminase (ALT) (OR = 1.02, 95% CI: 1-1.04, p = 0.049), bilirubin (OR = 0.41, 95% CI: 0.2-0.75, p = 0.007) and estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) (OR = 1.03, 95% CI: 1.0-1.06, p = 0.045). On multivariate analysis, bilirubin was significantly associated with treatment outcome (OR = 0.28, 95% CI: 0.1-0.64, p = 0.006). A composite model was devised using demographic, biochemical, and clinical features, which has sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, negative predictive value and accuracy of 67.86%, 79.41%, 73.08%, 75%, and 73.63% respectively in predicting response to therapy. Only 7.6% of patients with a Model for End-Stage Liver Disease (MELD) score > 15 and none of the patients with CTP class C met the primary end-point of our study. Conclusions 55% of our cohort met the primary end-point at 36 weeks. Patients with CTP class C and a MELD score > 15 should be referred for liver transplantation followed by DAA therapy. Our model was good at predicting improvement in post-therapy liver function.