Ribavirin concentrations do not predict sustained virological response in HIV/HCV-coinfected patients treated with ribavirin and pegylated interferon in the Swiss HIV Cohort Study. PLoS ONE
Kovari et al. assessed the impact of ribavirin (RBV) steady-state concentration on sustained virological response (SVR) in HIV/hepatitis C (HCV) coinfected patient groups treated with pegylated interferon/RBV in the SHCS. Median RBV plasma level was 2.0 mg/L in genotype (GT) 1/4 and 1.9 mg/L in GT 2/3 infections. In patients with SVR the RBV concentration was similar compared to patients without SVR. RBV levels ≥2.0 mg/L were not significantly associated with HCV cure, regardless of treatment phase, HCV genotype or IL28B.
The data do not support RBV therapeutic drug monitoring in HIV/HCV-coinfected patients treated with pegylated interferon/RBV to enhance HCV cure.