Evidence map›Paper›PMID 40422570›Full record

ReviewDiseases (Basel, Switzerland)2025

Efficacy and Safety of Adding Ribavirin to Sofosbuvir-Based Direct-Acting Antivirals (DAAs) in Re-Treating Non-Genotype 1 Hepatitis C-A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

Shahd Hamran, Amani A Al-Rajhi, Kawthar Jasim, Majed A Al-Theyab, Mohamed Elahtam, Mooza K Al-Hail, Wadha Al-Fahaidi, Yaman A Khamis, Yara Dweidri, Abdel-Naser Elzouki and 1 more

Abstract readReview
In one paragraph

Review in Diseases (Basel, Switzerland), 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
0citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

0 citing papers in PubMed.

No citing paper in PubMed yet.

4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

11 authors.

Shahd HamranCollege of Medicine, QU Health, Qatar University, Doha P.O. Box 2713, Qatar.ORCID 0009-0001-9892-0993
Amani A Al-RajhiCollege of Medicine, QU Health, Qatar University, Doha P.O. Box 2713, Qatar.
Kawthar JasimCollege of Dental Medicine, QU Health, Qatar University, Doha P.O. Box 2713, Qatar.ORCID 0000-0002-1780-4502
Majed A Al-TheyabCollege of Medicine, QU Health, Qatar University, Doha P.O. Box 2713, Qatar.
Mohamed ElahtamCollege of Medicine, QU Health, Qatar University, Doha P.O. Box 2713, Qatar.
Mooza K Al-HailCollege of Medicine, QU Health, Qatar University, Doha P.O. Box 2713, Qatar.
Wadha Al-FahaidiCollege of Medicine, QU Health, Qatar University, Doha P.O. Box 2713, Qatar.
Yaman A KhamisCollege of Medicine, QU Health, Qatar University, Doha P.O. Box 2713, Qatar.
Yara DweidriCollege of Medicine, QU Health, Qatar University, Doha P.O. Box 2713, Qatar.
Abdel-Naser ElzoukiInternal Medicine, Hamad Medical Corporation, Doha P.O. Box 3050, Qatar.
Tawanda ChiveseDivision of Science and Mathematics, School of Interdisciplinary Arts and Sciences, University of Washington Tacoma, Washington, WA 98402, USA.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundThere is still debate whether ribavirin should be added to direct-acting antivirals (DAAs) for the management of treatment-experienced individuals with non-genotype-1 hepatitis C. This study compared the efficacy and safety of adding ribavirin to sofosbuvir-based combinations compared to sofosbuvir-based regimens alone in treating non-genotype 1 hepatitis C virus (HCV) in individuals who have been previously treated.

methodsWe searched Cochrane CENTRAL, PubMed, SCOPUS, CINAHL and preprint databases from inception to September 2023 for randomized controlled trials (RCTs) that compared sofosbuvir-based regimens with ribavirin to sofosbuvir-based regimens alone in previously treated individuals with non-genotype 1 HCV infection. Data extraction and quality of study assessments were performed by two independent authors, and synthesis was performed using bias-adjusted models, heterogeneity using I2, and publication bias using funnel plots.

resultsEight RCTs compared sofosbuvir-based combinations with and without ribavirin were included. Overall, the addition of ribavirin to sofosbuvir, compared to sofosbuvir alone, did not show a benefit in achieving sustained virological response (SVR) (OR 0.91, 95% CI 0.26-3.17, I2 = 70.0%) with moderate certainty in Grading of Recommendations, Assessment, Development, and Evaluation (GRADE) evidence. In subgroup analysis, there was no benefit of adding ribavirin to sofosbuvir in individuals with non-genotype 1 HCV. The additional ribavirin was associated with increased adverse events (OR 2.03, 95% CI 1.58-2.6, I2 = 8.0%) and treatment discontinuation (OR 1.81, 95% CI 0.78-4.28, I2 = 0.0%).

conclusionsThe moderate certainty evidence suggests that adding ribavirin to sofosbuvir-based regimens may not confer benefit in achieving SVR in previously treated individuals with non-genotype 1 HCV but increases the odds of adverse events and treatment discontinuation. More evidence is needed on the effect of additional ribavirin in achieving SVR in individuals with decompensated cirrhosis. REGISTRATION: The protocol is registered on the International Prospective Register of Systematic Reviews (PROSPERO) (CRD42022368868).

Indexed as

direct-acting Antivirals (DAAs)HCV genotypehepatitis C virus (HCV)ribavirin (RBV)sustained virological response (SVR)systematic review and meta-analysis

Identifiers

PMID40422570
PMCPMC12110649

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.