HCV reinfection associated with IDU and cocaine use in a cohort of people with OUD: 4 Year follow-up data from the ANCHOR cohort

weeks post SVR.Cirrhosis was defined based on FibroScan ® >14.5 kPa and/or a combination of endoscopy and imaging criteria.Only those treated with DAA therapy between January 2015 and December 2016 were included.Patients were followed-up with until November 2021 or until HCC occurred.Results: Our study included 71 patients of whom 64.8% were males with a mean age of 61 (±8) years.Of our total cohort, 62% had genotype 1, 55% were Child Pugh A (CPA), 24% were CPA with a previous decompensation, and 21% were CP B/C.During a median follow up of 60 months (IQR 41-70), 25.4% (18) of patients had developed HCC.Patients who developed HCC had more advanced liver disease (CP B/C 53.3% vs 20.5% CPA vs 11.8% CPA previous decompensation; p = 0.031), a lower baseline albumin (34.7 vs 38.4; p = 0.004) and an elevated YKL-40 at 36 weeks after SVR (4789 vs 3333; p = 0.036) compared to those who had not developed HCC (table 1).Between start of treatment and 36 weeks post SVR, the mean decrease in YKL-40 was significantly greater in those who did not develop HCC (from 5098 to 3333, p < 0.001; vs 4752 to 4789 p = 0.987).There was no difference in the dynamics of HA between the two groups.In the multivariate analysis, YKL-40 at 36 weeks post SVR (HR 1; CI 95% 1-1) was an independent factor associated with HCC.Child Pugh status A (HR 0.36; IC 95% 0.142-0.937)was an independent factor associated with lower HCC.Conclusion: HCC occurrence was higher in patients with CP B/C and those who did not decrease YKL-40 after achieving SVR.YKL-40 could be a predictive factor of HCC occurrence however further studies with a larger sample are necessary to confirm these results.