Medical Science
Volume 25, Issue 109, March, 2021
A study of the cardiovascular effects of the direct acting anti-hepatitis C virus drugs by cardiac magnetic resonance imaging
Amr Gamal Shawky1♦, Diaa Kamal11, Yasser Elkashlan1, Ahmed S Ibrahim2, Ossama Ashraf Ahmed3, Tarek M K Abdeldayem1
1Department of Cardiology, Faculty of Medicine, Ain Shams
University, Cairo, Egypt
2Department of Radiology, Faculty of Medicine, Ain Shams
University, Cairo, Egypt
3Department of Gastroenterology, Faculty of Medicine, Ain
Shams University, Cairo, Egypt
♦Corresponding author
Department of Cardiology, Faculty of Medicine, Ain Shams
University, Cairo,
Egypt;
Email: ashawky10032@gmail.com
ABSTRACT
Objectives: Chronic Hepatitis C Virus infection is highly prevalent in Egypt. The introduction of the new direct acting antivirals has
revolutionized the treatment of HCV patients. Our study aimed to evaluate the effects of these drugs on the cardiovascular system,
using cardiac Magnetic Resonance Imaging (CMR). Methods: Twenty-one treatment naïve adult patients with no prior history of
cardiovascular disease and free from cardiovascular risk factors were included in the study. Each subject had a negative treadmill
stress ECG test before starting treatment. Results: Treatment with direct-acting antivirals (DAAs) had no effect on LV dimensions,
biventricular volumes, and functions. There was also no difference noted regarding resting segmental wall motion abnormalities
(RSWMA) by Trans-Thoracic Echocardiography (TTE) and CMR and late gadolinium enhancement (LGE) by CMR. Conclusion: The
DAAs used in the national protocol for HCV treatment in Egyptian patients have potentially good cardiac safety profile. There were
no changes in biventricular functions by TTE or CMR and no myocardial fibrosis detected by CMR in the studied patients. These
highly effective drugs potentially had no cardiotoxic effects in Egyptian patients.
Keywords: Hepatitis C virus, direct acting antiviral agents, Cardiac Magnetic
Resonance Imaging.
Medical Science, 2021, 25(109), 538-546
