Hepatitis C patients cured with antiviral medicines are less likely to be hospitalized, need ER care for liver

hepatitis C
Electron micrographs of hepatitis C virus purified from cell culture. Scale bar is 50 nanometers. Credit: Center for the Study of Hepatitis C, The Rockefeller University.

Researchers at Henry Ford Health System, as part of a national hepatitis C collaborative, report that patients with chronic hepatitis C who are treated with direct-acting antiviral medicines are less likely to be hospitalized or seek emergency care for liver and non-liver related health issues.

The study, published online in Clinical Infectious Diseases, underscores the extraordinary effect of these newer antivirals, which have been shown to cure hepatitis C in 98 percent of patients who take them. Patients are said to be cured when the virus is no longer detectable in their blood.

“The findings of our study show that curing hepatitis C not only gets rid of the virus, it also improves the overall health of patients,” said Stuart Gordon, M.D., Director of the Division of Hepatology at Henry Ford and the study’s lead author. “This is consistent with our earlier studies that showed effective treatment of hepatitis C also reduces the risk of patients developing other like diabetes, , stroke and heart attacks.”

According to federal data, at least 2.4 million people are living with hepatitis C in the United States and most don’t know they have the virus. As a result, they are at risk for life threatening liver disease and cancer. Rates of new liver cancer cases have increased 38 percent from 2003 to 2012.

The Henry Ford-led study was conducted in collaboration with researchers from Geisinger Health System, Kaiser Permanente in Hawaii and Oregon and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. They comprise the Chronic Hepatitis Cohort Study, which has been collecting and analyzing data drawn from the four health systems to assess the impact of hepatitis C and B on the U.S. population.

This observational study is believed to be the first to examine healthcare utilization involving hepatitis C patients with and without advanced liver disease and treated with the direct-acting antivirals, or DAAs.

Researchers analyzed data of 6,100 patients—half who were treated with DAAs and half who were not.

The antivirals are taken orally once a day for eight to 12 weeks. Side effects are mild, if any. The medications stop the hepatitis C virus from multiplying in the body and can prevent long-term complications like liver damage.

Key findings of the study:

  • Patients treated with DAAs had lower rates of hospitalization and shorter stays for liver and non- related health issues compared to those who did not receive DAAs.
  • Patients treated with DAAs had fewer visits to the Emergency Department for related issues compared to those who did not receive DAAs.

Researchers did not quantify the potential cost savings as part of the study.

Still, Dr. Gordon said the projected cost savings would be substantial. People being cured of hepatitis C leads to less incidence of chronic medical issues associated with the disease, he said.

“There are tangible downstream benefits from these antiviral treatments,” he said. “If you’re cured of the virus, your overall health will get better and you’re less likely to be hospitalized for some other health condition.”

A one-time universal screening for hepatitis C is recommended for all adults ages 18 and older including pregnant women during each pregnancy. Regular hepatitis C testing is recommended for people with ongoing risk factors such as drug use with needles, on dialysis and those born between 1945 and 1965.

Last year, Michigan lifted restrictions that prevented some people from getting access to antiviral treatment. “Given the remarkable effectiveness and benefits of these DAAs, everyone with C should get treated and treated soon,” Dr. Gordon said.



More information:
Stuart C Gordon et al, Lower rates of emergency visits and hospitalizations among chronic hepatitis C patients with sustained virological response to interferon-free direct-acting antiviral therapy (2014–2018), Clinical Infectious Diseases (2022). DOI: 10.1093/cid/ciac124

Citation:
Hepatitis C patients cured with antiviral medicines are less likely to be hospitalized, need ER care for liver (2022, February 18)
retrieved 5 March 2022
from https://medicalxpress.com/news/2022-02-hepatitis-patients-antiviral-medicines-hospitalized.html

This document is subject to copyright. Apart from any fair dealing for the purpose of private study or research, no
part may be reproduced without the written permission. The content is provided for information purposes only.

Note: This article have been indexed to our site. We do not claim legitimacy, ownership or copyright of any of the content above. To see the article at original source Click Here

Related Posts
Pavan Malhotra Talks About Stepping Into The OTT Space thumbnail

Pavan Malhotra Talks About Stepping Into The OTT Space

The chameleon actor, who completes 40 years in cinema this year, has taken his first steps into the web space in 2021, creating a brand new fan base with his nuanced performance in Grahan and Tabbar Pavan Malhotra finds it amusing to be called an underrated actor. “I think journalists these days love the sound…
Read More
IAFP annual meeting and conference opens tonight thumbnail

IAFP annual meeting and conference opens tonight

With tonight’s opening session, the International Association for Food Protection marks a milestone. The group will be under new leadership for the first time in 30 years. In the spring of this year, David Tharp announced his retirement. Lisa Hovey succeeds him as executive director. Hovey has most recently served as assistant director of IAFP.
Read More
Should You Go Gluten-Free For Your Migraines? thumbnail

Should You Go Gluten-Free For Your Migraines?

If you’re among the 1 billion people on the planet who have migraines, you’ve probably tried almost everything to feel better. You avoid known triggers like chocolate, MSG, red wine, citrus fruit, and aged cheese.You might even have cut out gluten, a protein mainly found in wheat, barley, and rye. But does skipping sourdough bread…
Read More
The Truth About Children’s Resilience thumbnail

The Truth About Children’s Resilience

To Teri DiCesare, grandmother of two and director of Philadelphia’s House at Pooh Corner daycare center for nearly a half-century, kids’ resilience looks a lot like her daily noontime scene: toddlers and preschoolers -- masks off, lunches out -- chattering. Slurping from juice boxes. Being silly.“Resilience means adaptability,” says DiCesare. “It means that children adjust
Read More
Index Of News
Consider making some contribution to keep us going. We are donation based team who works to bring the best content to the readers. Every donation matters.
Donate Now

Subscription Form

Liking our Index Of News so far? Would you like to subscribe to receive news updates daily?

Total
0
Share