Limited success of HCV antiviral therapy in United States veterans

The treatment of hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection in United States veterans has become a major task for the Veterans Administration Healthcare System. Although the comprehensive diagnosis and treatment of HCV-infected patients has been mandated, little is known about the performance characteristics of HCV clinics and about the outcomes of antiviral therapy in this unique patient population.

We retrospectively examined clinic show rates, treatment eligibility, and the response to antiviral therapy in a dedicated HCV outpatient clinic in a large urban Veterans Affairs medical center.

Our data demonstrate that few veterans--regardless of their age or ethnic background--pursue evaluation and treatment of their HCV infection by hepatologists. A minority of those patients who undergo a comprehensive clinic evaluation meet the standard eligibility criteria for antiviral therapy. The overall efficacy of antiviral treatment, as measured by the sustained virological response rate, is substantially lower than previously reported in randomized clinical trials. HCV-infected veterans are characterized by a unique combination of risk factors that are predictive of a poor response to antiviral therapy, including a preponderance of male gender, HCV genotype I, age > 40 yr, and histologically advanced degrees of liver disease.

Our study demonstrates the limitations of outpatient HCV treatment initiatives in the United States veteran population, and suggests that the overall impact of current HCV treatment programs may be small.