Asian Journal of Research and Reports in Hepatology

Background: Worldwide, more than 170 million persons have hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection, of whom 71 million have chronic infection. Egypt is the country with the highest HCV prevalence worldwide–antibody prevalence in Egypt was estimated at 11.9% in a 2018 meta-analysis with a predominance of genotype 4, so great efforts were directed to study its consequences and the different lines of treatment of chronic HCV. One of its common sequences is decreased platelet count and impaired platelet function. DAAs are a new therapeutic line for chronic HCV infection proved its efficacy and safety. Sofosbuvir-daclatasvir are used in the treatment of genotype 4 which is common in Egypt and reported some benefits to the patients after completing treatment such as improvement of platelet count and liver functions.

Objective: In our study, we aimed to evaluate the effect of HCV on platelet function and to determine whether it is affected after treatment with sofosbuvir-daclatasvir. So we estimated platelet factor 4 (PF4) which is a platelet derived molecule involved in inflammatory and immune processes and can be used as an indicator of platelet function in cases of chronic HCV patients before and after treatment and compare it with healthy controls.

Methods: This study was carried out chronic HCV patients who had been receiving sofosbuvir-daclatasvir (DAAs) at the Internal Medicine Department at Tanta University Hospital over a period of 6 months (between February 2020 to August 2020). The study was performed on 25 patients with chronic HCV infection and 25 normal volunteers as a control group. All patients were subjected to history taking, examination, investigations (CBC, liver functions, renal functions, pelvi-abdominal ultrasound, thyroid stimulating hormone(TSH), alpha feto protein (AFP), polymerase chain reaction (PCR) for hepatitis C virus (HCV) and platelet factor 4 (PF4) by ELISA).

Results: A significant decrease in PF4 was observed in chronic HCV patients which increased after treatment with sofosbuvir and daclatasvir.

Conclusion: Chronic HCV infection is associated with decreased serum level of PF4 (which is an indicator of platelet function). After treatment with DAAs, serum level of platelet factor 4 increases. This means that chronic HCV infection is associated with impaired platelet function which improved after treatment with DAAs.