Improved quality of life following direct-acting antiviral treatment for chronic hepatitis C infection in Rwanda: Results from a clinical trial in sub-Saharan Africa (the SHARED study).

Around 71 million people are living with chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection, with approximately 14% residing in sub-Saharan Africa. Direct-acting antiviral (DAA) therapies offer clear benefits for liver-related morbidity and mortality, and data from high-income settings suggest that DAA treatments also provide significant benefits in terms of health-related quality of life (HRQL). In this study, we assessed the effect of DAA treatment on HRQL for individuals treated for HCV in a clinical trial in Rwanda. We assessed the HRQL of participants using an 83-question composite survey at Day 0 ('baseline') and Week 24 ('endpoint'). Data were analysed in R. A total of 296 participants were included in this analysis. Their ages ranged from 19 to 90, and 184 (62.2%) were female. There were significant improvements from baseline to endpoint median scores for all physical and mental quality of life sub-scales. Additionally, a reduction-before and after treatment-in the proportion of those classified as depressed and needing social support was statistically significant (both P < .001). Economic productivity increased after treatment (P < .001), and households classified as food secure increased from baseline to endpoint (P < .001). These results demonstrate that Rwandans with chronic HCV infection experience both clinical and HRQL benefits, including household-level benefits like substantial gains in workforce stability, economic productivity, and poverty alleviation, from DAA treatment. A stronger demonstration of accurate and broader household-level benefits achieved through treatment of HCV with DAAs will help financing and investment for HCV in resource-constrained settings become an urgent priority.