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Is the management of hepatitis C patients appropriate? A population-based study

C Hatem1, A Minello, S Bresson-Hadni

  • 1Réseau Bourguignon de lutte contre l'hépatite C, Faculté de médecine de Dijon, Boulevard Jeanne d'Arc, 21034 Dijon Cedex, France.

Alimentary Pharmacology & Therapeutics
|April 9, 2005
PubMed

Insights

One in six hepatitis C patients in France did not receive ongoing healthcare, and a quarter with significant liver fibrosis were untreated. This highlights insufficient clinical management impacting treatment effectiveness in the general population.

Area of Science:

  • Hepatology
  • Public Health
  • Epidemiology

Background:

  • Access to antiviral treatment for hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection is contingent upon patients reaching medical care.
  • Understanding patient care pathways is crucial for effective HCV management in the general population.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To determine the proportion of hepatitis C patients who access medical care following diagnosis.
  • To evaluate the extent of healthcare engagement and treatment initiation in a large French general population cohort.

Main Methods:

  • A retrospective study analyzed 1508 hepatitis C cases diagnosed between 1994 and 1999 in France.
  • Data from 1251 eligible patients were examined to assess medical care access, diagnostic procedures, and treatment rates.

Main Results:

  • Of 1251 patients, 202 (16.2%) did not access medical care; 25.5% of patients with significant liver fibrosis (Metavir score >A1F1) did not receive treatment.
  • Treatment was more common in males (OR: 1.59) and younger patients (<65 years, OR: 2.22).
  • Reasons for non-treatment included alcoholism, drug addiction, and 'escaping monitoring', particularly in males, while normal alanine transferase levels were more frequent in females.

Conclusions:

  • A significant proportion of hepatitis C patients, approximately one in six, do not receive ongoing healthcare.
  • A quarter of patients with advanced liver fibrosis were not treated, indicating a gap in clinical management.
  • These findings underscore suboptimal clinical management that may hinder the effectiveness of hepatitis C treatment strategies in the general population.
Abstract

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