Quantification of Side Effects During Dual or Triple Therapy for Chronic Hepatitis C

Hepatitis C Virus infection is one of the main causes of chronic liver disease worldwide with current estimates of approximately 130 - 210 million individuals (according to 3% of the world population) chronically infected with the hepatitis C virus. However, hepatitis C virus infections are among the most common causes leading to chronic hepatitis, liver cirrhosis and liver related death worldwide.

The current standard of care is a combination of pegylated Interferon and Ribavirin (dual-therapy). Since 2011, direct-acting antiviral drugs inhibiting viral protease are approved as an addition to the standard therapy (triple-therapy).

The occurrence of adverse events as well as their severity generally depends on the therapy regimen and is influenced by type and dosage of medications.

Most common adverse events (affects up to 95% of patients) are fever, fatigue, headache, nausea, arthralgia, depression, skin reactions, neutropenia, and anemia.

A more frequent occurrence of adverse events with triple-therapy compared to dual- therapy has become clear since it's introduction, particularly with regard to anemia, neutropenia, gastrointestinal discomfort, fatigue, dysgeusia, and skin reactions. How- ever, there is accumulating evidence for a more often appearance of infections and/or infestations in patients receiving triple-therapy.