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Statins Added to Chronic Hepatitis C Treatment: Is it Beneficial?

Mohamed AA, El-Halawany F, El-Nabarawy N, Zayed N, Omar H, El-Kasas M and El-Gohary K

Objectives: Chronic hepatitis C (CHC) is a major health problem in Egypt with about 9.8% of Egyptian population having an active hepatitis C infection. Almost Every step in the Hepatitis C virus (HCV) life cycle is closely related to lipid metabolism. HCV circulate in the body in lipid-rich particle, attach to hepatocytes via lipoprotein receptors. Recent attention focused on HMG CoA Reductase inhibitors (statins) and their potential therapeutic role in hepatitis C.

Methods: This retrospective closed cohort study included 60 naïve CHC patients. The HCV statins group patients (n = 26) received the combination of Standard of care (Interferon alfa and repavirin) and fluvastatin 80 mg daily; HCV non statins group (n = 43) treated with the SOC treatment only. Both groups receive their treatment over a duration of 48 weeks.

Results: On-treatment viral responses as well as the SVR were significantly better in HCV statins group in comparison to HCV non statins group; rapid virological response (RVR), early virological response (EVR) and sustained virological response (SVR) were (13.3%, 73.3% and 68.3%) in HCV statins group vs. (0%, 58.8% and 52.9%) HCV non statins group with p value 0.00, 0.003 and 0.003 respectively. Multivariate logistic regression model identified statins use as a significant predictor of an SVR.

Conclusion: A combination of fluvastatin and SOC significantly improved the SVR in naïve CHC Egyptian patients. Further powered randomized control trails are needed to elucidate statins role in HCV treatment.