Chronic hepatitis C is now a treatable condition across all age groups, including children as young as 3 years. This protocol covers both treatment-naïve and treatment-experienced patients aged 3 years and older who have no cirrhosis or compensated cirrhosis of the liver.
Children and adolescents aged 3 years or older with chronic hepatitis C, regardless of prior treatment history — without cirrhosis or with compensated cirrhosis. Current guidelines recommend direct-acting antiviral (DAA) treatment for all eligible patients in this age group.
Oral, once-daily, fixed-dose combination DAA regimens are recommended, with dosing selected by body weight. Several approved regimen options exist — the appropriate choice depends on the child's weight, genotype, and prior treatment history. The full selection and duration criteria are in the structured protocol.
Sustained virological response at 12 weeks after end of treatment (SVR12): undetectable HCV RNA in blood by a sensitive assay with a lower limit of detection of 15 IU/mL.
DOI: 10.1002/jpn3.12160
We recommend treatment using DAA regimens for all treatment-naïve and treatment-experienced children (≥3 years of age) with chronic hepatitis C.
We recommend the following fixed dose combination regimens for adolescents and children without cirrhosis or with compensated cirrhosis:
Glecaprevir/pibrentasvir administered once daily with food.
Sofosbuvir/velpatasvir administered once daily.
Sofosbuvir/ledipasvir administered once daily.
Sofosbuvir/ledipasvir for 8 weeks may be considered in previously untreated genotype 1-infected patients with HCV viremia levels < 600 000 IU/mL.
The endpoint of therapy with DAA in children is undetectable HCV RNA in blood by a sensitive assay with a lower limit of detection of 15 IU/mL 12 weeks after the end of treatment (SVR12).
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