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Management of hepatitis C virus infection in heavy drinkers

Charlotte E Costentin1, Jean-Baptiste Trabut, Vincent Mallet

  • 1Unité d’Hépatologie et d’Addictologie, Hôpital Cochin, Assistance Publique des Hôpitaux de Paris, 27 rue du faubourg Saint Jacques, 75014 Paris, France.

Alcohol and Alcoholism (Oxford, Oxfordshire)
|March 23, 2013
PubMed

Insights

Heavy drinkers with hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection are less likely to receive antiviral treatment. However, those who do receive treatment achieve comparable sustained virological response (SVR) rates to non-drinkers.

Area of Science:

  • Hepatology
  • Infectious Diseases
  • Addiction Medicine

Background:

  • Hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection management in heavy drinkers presents unique challenges.
  • Optimal treatment strategies for HCV in patients with significant alcohol consumption remain debated.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To compare the management and treatment outcomes of HCV infection in heavy drinkers versus patients with low alcohol consumption.
  • To identify factors influencing treatment access for HCV-infected heavy drinkers.

Main Methods:

  • A retrospective case-control study involving 69 HCV-infected heavy drinkers (≥60 g/day alcohol) and matched controls (<40 g/day alcohol).
  • Comparison of demographic data, infection routes, treatment recommendations, and treatment initiation rates.
  • Analysis of sustained virological response (SVR) rates between the two groups.

Main Results:

  • Heavy drinkers were younger, more frequently male, and predominantly infected via intravenous drug use (85.5% vs. 45.0%).
  • Despite similar treatment recommendations (75.4%), heavy drinkers were treated less often (44.9% vs. 71.0%).
  • SVR rates were comparable between heavy drinkers (32.3%) and controls (25.8%) once treatment was initiated.

Conclusions:

  • Heavy drinkers with HCV are underrepresented in antiviral therapy initiation compared to non-drinkers.
  • Antiviral treatment for HCV in heavy drinkers can achieve SVR rates similar to those in non-drinkers.
  • Treatment success is achievable even with continued alcohol consumption during therapy in some heavy-drinking patients.
Abstract

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