Objective: To elucidate the mechanism of an increase in the albumin levels by daclatasvir (DCV)/asunaprevir (ASV) therapy, we assessed the factors associated with an increase in the albumin levels.
Methods: We retrospectively analyzed 125 patients with chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection, treated with DCV/ASV from November 2014 to January 2016.
Results: Albumin levels significantly increased from 4.0 ± 0.4 g/dL at baseline to 4.2 ± 0.4 g/dL at 24 weeks after the end of treatment (EOT) (P < 0.0001) in 108 patients with SVR. Patients with SVR were divided into three groups according to their baseline albumin levels: group A, ≥ 4 g/dL; group B, 3.6-3.9 g/dL; and group C, ≤ 3.5 g/dL. The increase in albumin levels from baseline to at 24 weeks after EOT was significantly larger in group C (0.5 ± 0.5 g/dL, P < 0.0001) and group B (0.2 ± 0.4 g/dL, P = 0.0059) than in group A (0.0 ± 0.3 g/dL). Multivariate analysis showed that aspartate transaminase (AST) levels was the only factor associated with ≥ 0.3 g/dL increase in albumin levels in groups B and C (P = 0.0305). An increase in albumin levels was significantly correlated with a decrease in AST levels (r = 0.4729, P = 0.0119).
Conclusion: DCV/ASV therapy resulted in an increase in albumin levels in SVR patients, which was significantly correlated with a decrease in AST levels. It is probable that the reduction of inflammation, but not by reduction of fibrosis, mainly caused an increase in albumin levels.
Keywords: albumin; aspartate transaminase; asunaprevir; cirrhosis; daclatasvir; hepatitis C virus; inflammation; sustained virological response.