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[Problems in treating patients with chronic HCV infection due to the COVID-19 pandemic and during the lockdown phase

Dietrich Hüppe1, Claus Niederau2, Yvonne Serfert3

  • 1Gastroenterologische Gemeinschaftspraxis Herne, Herne, Deutschland.

Zeitschrift Fur Gastroenterologie
|November 9, 2020
PubMed

Insights

The COVID-19 pandemic disrupted chronic hepatitis C care in Germany, with reduced consultations and antiviral treatments. Delayed diagnoses of liver decompensation and cancer raise significant concerns despite most centers reporting no long-term issues.

Area of Science:

  • Hepatology
  • Infectious Diseases
  • Public Health

Background:

  • The COVID-19 pandemic imposed unprecedented challenges on healthcare systems globally.
  • Lockdown regulations significantly impacted routine medical services, including those for chronic conditions.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To analyze the influence of the COVID-19 pandemic on the healthcare of patients with chronic hepatitis C in Germany.
  • To assess the impact of pandemic-related disruptions on diagnosis, therapy, and monitoring of hepatitis C patients.

Main Methods:

  • A structured online questionnaire survey was distributed to centers participating in the German Hepatitis C-Registry (DHC-R).
  • Data were collected from 64 centers regarding consultation changes, patient-initiated cancellations, telehealth adoption, and treatment modifications between March and May 2020.

Main Results:

  • 11% of centers stopped regular consultations, and 58% reduced them during lockdown; over 50% of cancellations were patient-initiated.
  • New antiviral treatments decreased significantly compared to 2019, while telehealth options like telephone and video consultations were introduced.
  • Delayed diagnoses of liver decompensation (22%) and hepatocellular carcinoma (9.4%) were reported, alongside concerns about personal protective equipment availability (56%).

Conclusions:

  • Diagnosis, therapy, and monitoring for chronic hepatitis C patients were negatively affected during the COVID-19 pandemic.
  • While most centers anticipate no medium-to-long-term healthcare problems, delayed diagnoses of potentially fatal liver decompensations are a major concern.
  • The study highlights the need for resilient healthcare strategies to ensure continuous care for chronic conditions during public health crises.
Abstract

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