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Direct-acting antiviral (DAA) therapy is highly efficacious for the treatment of hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection in individuals >65 years; however, those 75 years are more likely to be at risk for significant drug-drug interactions and experience adverse events during therapy, according to a retrospective study published in the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society.
Sustained virologic response rate was 97.7% in individuals aged 65 to 74 years and 95.8% in those aged ³75 years. Compared with individuals aged 65 to 74 years, individuals aged 75 years were more likely to be taking more than 2 medications per day for chronic conditions and more likely to be at risk for clinically significant drug-drug interactions that required cessation or adjustment of medications before starting DAA therapy.
In addition, individuals 75 years old were more likely to experience an adverse event during therapy and were more susceptible to developing anemia secondary to ribavirin compared with individuals between 65 and 74 years old.
“To conclude, our data demonstrate an excellent SVR rate with DAA therapy in older adults who had high rates of cirrhosis and comorbidities,” stated the authors.
Read complete article here: https://www.infectiousdiseaseadvisor.com/hepatitis-advisor/efficacy-of-direct-acting-antivirals-in-older-adults/article/776697/