Observational Study in HCV Chronic Infection

HCV infection is the most frequent cause of liver chronic disease, cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma in western countries. To date, the standard antiviral treatment, including pegylated interferon (PEG-IFN) plus ribavirin (RBV), has relatively low effectiveness in patients infected with genotype 1 and 4, and is associated with important adverse side effects, that lead to treatment interruption in approximately 30% of cases. The recent association of first generation HCV- specific direct-acting antiviral agents (DAAs) (telaprevir and boceprevir) to standard treatment has resulted in higher SVR rates, also in patients infected with genotype-1 HCV and in non responders to PEG-IFN plus RBV. While several new DAAs are in development, the ultimate goal is represented by IFN-free regimens, that will provide a great advantage in terms of patients adherence to therapy and quality of life. In this context, prospective observational studies are needed to evaluate the real and long-term impact of the new DAAs in the clinical practice, in terms of efficacy, safety, costs and impact on patients quality of life. Italy is the European country with the greatest number of HCV infected people (average, 3% of population), with higher prevalence in the center and in the south of the country, especially in older individuals, and the highest mortality caused by hepatocellular carcinoma. Genotype 1 is the most frequent one (in more than 50% of infected people). DAAs were approved at the end of 2012. For these reasons, Italy represents an interesting context for collecting data on long-term efficacy, safety and tolerability of new anti-HCV treatments. The PITER cohort study, developed in the frame of Italian Platform for the study of the therapy of viral hepatitis a prospective observational study, is based on a large cohort of HCV infected patients from more than 100 clinical centers distributed on the whole national area. The main aims of the PITER longitudinal cohort study are: 1) to produce of an ongoing and continuously updated picture of the changing epidemiology of HCV infection in the country; 2) to evaluate in a real-life setting the expected impact of DAAs on the natural course of infection and on long-term morbidity and mortality.

Collected data will include clinical, laboratory and anatomopathological information and will be recorded in electronic CRF, at the enrollment and follow-up visits. Special attention will be devoted to specific patient categories (with HIV, HBV, HDV and HEV coinfections, comorbidities, disease patients who presents signs of liver disease progression). Subjects starting an antiviral regimen will be followed according to specific guidelines. A sub-study on quality of life/adherence to treatment/treatment satisfaction will be also conducted on all treated patients of the cohort.