Feasibility and efficacy of eight weeks Glecaprevir/Pibrentasvir to treat incarcerated viremic HCV patients: a case-control study

Inmates have higher HCV prevalence than general population, representing a fundamental step towards HCV eradication. Our aim was to compare eight-weeks glecaprevir/pibrentasvir treatment in a case-control study between incarcerated and free patients. Eleven Italian prisons and six outpatient clinics were involved. Patients were matched for sex, risk factors, METAVIR grade, HIV and HBV co-infections. 131 incarcerated (Group A) and 131 free patients (Group B) were included. Mean age was 43.0±9.6 years and 42.8±9.9 in Group A and B, respectively (p=0.74). SVR rates were 96.2% and 99.2% in Group A and Group B respectively (p=0.21). Five drop-outs occurred in Group A, one in Group B. Incarceration, being PWIDs and OST were not associated to SVR reductions (CI 95%). In conclusion, imprisonment does not influence unplanned interruptions or SVR rates when receiving short-term therapies. Short schedules with pangenotypic regimens could be a good approach to hard-to-reach populations, such as incarcerated patients.