Abstract

Use of Direct-Acting Antivirals for the Treatment of Chronic Hepatitis C Virus Infection in the Perspective of Kidney Transplantation

Hepatitis C virus (HCV) is more prevalent in patients with end-stage kidney disease on hemodialysis and, consequently leading to a higher prevalence of HCV infection among kidney transplant recipients than in the general population. Chronic HCV infection can contribute to increased morbidity and mortality in both the pretransplant and post-transplant settings. After transplantation, HCV infection also has adverse impacts on both patient and graft survival in kidney transplant recipients compared to those with HCV-negative including higher risks of cardiovascular disease, sepsis, and liver disease. In the recent years, notable advancement has been made in the development of oral anti-HCV agents that directly inhibit and target various HCV viral proteins with direct acting antiviral (DAA) therapies with reported excellent sustained virologic response, resulting in a paradigm shift in the management of HCV-infected patients undergoing kidney transplantation in the era of DAA therapies. In this review, we present the perspectives of use of direct-acting antivirals for the treatment of chronic hepatitis C virus infection in kidney transplant recipients.