Reaching the Unreachable: Strategies for HCV Eradication in Patients With Refractory Opioid Addiction-A Real-world Experience

Lisa Sandmann; Julian Deppe; Christoph Beier; Valerie Ohlendorf; Julia Schneider; Heiner Wedemeyer; Felix Wedegärtner; Markus Cornberg; Benjamin Maasoumy

doi:10.1093/ofid/ofab325

Reaching the Unreachable: Strategies for HCV Eradication in Patients With Refractory Opioid Addiction-A Real-world Experience

Open Forum Infect Dis. 2021 Jun 17;8(8):ofab325. doi: 10.1093/ofid/ofab325. eCollection 2021 Aug.

Authors

Lisa Sandmann¹, Julian Deppe^{2

3}, Christoph Beier¹, Valerie Ohlendorf¹, Julia Schneider¹, Heiner Wedemeyer^{1

4}, Felix Wedegärtner², Markus Cornberg^{1

4

5}, Benjamin Maasoumy^{1

4

5}

Affiliations

¹ Department of Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Endocrinology, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany.
² Department of Psychiatry, Social Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany.
³ Patrida Medizinisches Versorgungszentrum, Hannover, Germany.
⁴ German Center for Infection Research (DZIF), Partner Site Hannover-Braunschweig, Hannover, Germany.
⁵ Centre for Individualised Infection Medicine (CiiM), Helmholtz Centre for Infection Research, Hannover, Germany.

Abstract

To achieve global hepatitis C virus (HCV) eradication, barriers prohibiting treatment access need to be overcome. We established a strategy to initiate antiviral therapy in patients with severe, refractory heroin addiction. All patients achieved sustained virological response. Outreach programs of hepatologists might be a reasonable way to overcome barriers to HCV treatment.

Keywords: DAA; HCV; active drug use; diamorphine; heroin.