Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension in Patients With Direct-Acting Antiviral Medications for Hepatitis C Virus Infection

Study category and Rationale: This study is without any use of medication or investigations products, therefore this is a category A clinical trail.

Background and Rationale: Pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) is a chronic and progressive disease leading to right heart failure and ultimately death in untreated patients. A variety of systemic illnesses have been associated with PAH. Hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection is not defined as a risk factor for PAH. However, compared to a control population higher pulmonary artery pressures are described in patients with HCV. Some case reports indicate association between HCV medication and PAH. Except of a few case reports, to date no clinical study about evidence of PAH in patients with direct-acting-antiviral (DAA) medication for HCV infection has been published.

Objective: The purpose of this study is the evaluation of PAH in patients, who are treated with DAA medication for HCV infection.

Outcomes: The primary outcome of this study is the evaluation of pulmonary artery pressure change using transthoracic doppler-echocardiography (TTE) in patients with a new diagnosis of HCV before and after treatment with DAA medication. The secondary outcomes are the change in left and right ventricular structure and function using TTE in patients with a new diagnosis of HCV before and after treatment with DAA medication.

Study design: A single center prospective, observational cohort study. Inclusion / Exclusion criteria: Inclusion criteria are evidence of HCV infection and age 18-90 years. Patients will be excluded from the study, if there is an inability to provide informed consent and if there are known for existing PAH.

Measurements and procedures: The patients will receive a TTE for the measurement of the pulmonary artery pressure before, during (8 weeks after starting the medication) and 8 weeks after completion of the HCV medication. The whole treatment period will take about 12 weeks.

Study Product / Intervention: The study will use a TTE for measurement of pulmonary artery pressure. This non-invasive, fast investigation (total duration about 20 minutes) is used for years in Cardiology and does not constitute a specific study product.

Number of Participants with Rationale:The study goal ist the înlusion of 50 participants with a newly started DAA medication for HCV infection. Due to the lack of data, a power calculation is not possible. However, if a higher number than 50 participants would be necessary to show a significant rise in pulmonary pressure, a clinical significance is not likely to be relevant.

Study Duration: The study inclusion is planned for 2 year.

Inclusion criteria

• Age 18-90 years
• Written informed consent
• New diagnosis of HCV, which requires the initiation of a DAA therapy

Exclusion criteria

• Inability to provide informed consent
• Known diagnosis of pulmonary artery hypertension (PAH)
• Dyspnoe NYHA III-IV
• Mean pulmonary artery (PA) pressure (mPAP) of >25 mmHg in the first TTE before start of DAA medication