Effects of sofosbuvir-based therapy on the metabolic status of patients with chronic hepatitis C infection

Background: In patients with hepatitis, it is important to identify drug-induced metabolic effects to improve diagnosis and treatment. Therefore, in this study, we aimed to determine the effects of sofosbuvir-based therapy on the metabolic status of patients with chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection. Materials and Methods: In this observational before-after study, a total of 128 consecutive patients with chronic HCV infection, presenting to the Middle East Liver Disease Center (MELD) in Tehran, Iran, were enrolled. Metabolic indices, including triglyceride, total cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein (LDL), high-density lipoprotein (HDL), and fasting blood sugar (FBS), were determined before and after sofosbuvir-based therapy. Results: The mean FBS level was 108.3±33.8 and 106.2±36.4 mg/dL before and after treatment, respectively (P>0.05). Also, the mean triglyceride level was 101.8±46.4 and 110.5±54.8 mg/dL before and after treatment, respectively (P=0.03). The findings showed that the mean total cholesterol level was 150.9±34.9 and 168.0±40 mg/dL before and after treatment, respectively (P=0.001). Also, the mean LDL-cholesterol level was 82.4±27.5 and 95.8±31.6 mg/dL before and after treatment (P=0.001), and the mean HDL-cholesterol was 44.1±13.1 and 46.9±13.4 mg/dL before and after treatment, respectively (P=0.01). Conclusion: According to the results, it can be concluded that sofosbuvir-based therapy has effects on some metabolic parameters (lipid profile and blood glucose) of chronic HCV patients. Therefore, development of preventive strategies to reduce the burden of this disease seems necessary.