Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on the Management of Chronic Hepatitis C Infection: A Cross- Sectional Study COVID-19 Pandemisinin Kronik Hepatit C Enfeksiyonunun Yönetimine Etkisi: Kesitsel Bir Çalışma
Studia Islamika, cilt.29, sa.1, ss.30-35, 2023 (ESCI, Scopus)
- Yayın Türü: Makale / Tam Makale
- Cilt numarası: 29 Sayı: 1
- Basım Tarihi: 2023
- Doi Numarası: 10.4274/vhd.galenos.2023.2023-4-1
- Dergi Adı: Studia Islamika
- Derginin Tarandığı İndeksler: Emerging Sources Citation Index (ESCI), Scopus, International Bibliography of Social Sciences, ATLA Religion Database, Index Islamicus, MLA - Modern Language Association Database
- Sayfa Sayıları: ss.30-35
- Anahtar Kelimeler: Hepatitis C virus, chronic hepatitis C, COVID-19, management, elimination
- Sağlık Bilimleri Üniversitesi Adresli: Evet
Özet
Objectives: The coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19) pandemic have affected the chronic hepatitis elimination program globally. This study aimed to evaluate the effect of the COVID-19 pandemic on the rate of requesting hepatitis C virus (HCV) testing and the rate of initiating chronic HCV treatment, follow-up, and completion and compliance of treatment of chronic hepatitis C patients. Materials and Methods: Between January 01, 2018 and December 12, 2021, the number of anti-HCV and HCV-RNA test requests and patients who started treatment were retrospectively evaluated. The rates of follow-up treatment compliance and treatment completion of the patients who were treated in the ınfectious diseases clinic were analyzed on a year basis. Results: A positive anti-HCV test was found in 4,468 of 301,999 patients who underwent anti-HCV testing in 4 years. Significant reductions were observed in all three pandemic waves in both anti-HCV and HCV-RNA test requests. The data of 213 treated patients were analyzed. While the most common risk factor was intravenous drug usage, genotype 3 was determined to be the dominant genotype. While the rates of regular outpatient followup and completion of treatment were the lowest in 2020 (63.6% in both), no significant difference was found between years (p=0.118, p=0.087, respectively). Conclusion: The pandemic affected the management of chronic hepatitis C. National microelimination programs should be rearranged to meet the elimination targets. In addition to the at-risk population, the whole population should be screened and training for awareness raising should be planned again for both society and physicians.