Published online Aug 27, 2022. doi: 10.4254/wjh.v14.i8.1576
Peer-review started: August 1, 2021
First decision: September 29, 2021
Revised: November 1, 2021
Accepted: July 11, 2022
Article in press: July 11, 2022
Published online: August 27, 2022
Hepatitis C is a global epidemic and an estimated 230 000 Australians were living with chronic hepatitis C in 2016. Through effective public health policy and state commitment, Australia has utilised the advent of direct acting antiviral (DAA) therapy to transform the therapeutic landscape for hepatitis C virus (HCV). However, treatment rates are falling and novel public health approaches are required to maintain momentum for HCV elimination. Contemporary discourse in cascades of care have focused on expanding testing capabilities but less attention has been given to linking previously diagnosed patients back to care. Our simple and focused study rests on the premise that hospital admissions are an excellent opportunity to identify and refer previously diagnosed patients for HCV treatment.
To assess whether inpatients with HCV are appropriately referred on for treatment.
We conducted a retrospective single centre cohort study that examined all patients with HCV presenting to The Queen Elizabeth Hospital (QEH) inpatient service between January 1 and December 31, 2017. QEH is a tertiary care hospital in South Australia. The main inclusion criteria were patients with active HCV infection who were eligible for DAA therapy. Our study cohort was identified using a comprehensive list of diagnosis based on international classification of diseases-10 AM codes for chronic viral hepatitis. Patients were excluded from the analysis if they had previously received DAA therapy or spontaneously cleared HCV. Patients presenting with decompensated liver cirrhosis or other systemic medical conditions conferring poor short-term prognosis were also excluded from the analysis. The primary outcome of our study was referral of patients for HCV treatment. Secondary outcomes included assessment of factors predicting treatment referral.
There were 309 inpatients identified with hepatitis C as a principal or additional diagnosis between January 1 and December 31, 2017. Of these patients, 148 had active HCV infection without prior treatment or spontaneous clearance. Overall, 131 patients were deemed eligible for DAA treatment and included in the main analysis. Mean patient age was 47.75 ± 1.08 years, and 69% of the cohort were male and 13% identified as Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander. Liver cirrhosis was a complication of hepatitis C in 7% of the study cohort. Only 10 patients were newly diagnosed with HCV infection during the study period with the remainder having been diagnosed prior to the study.
Under 25% of hepatitis C patients presenting to an Australian tertiary hospital were appropriately referred for treatment. Advanced age, cirrhosis and admission under medical specialties were predictors of treatment referral.
Core tip: Hepatitis C virus (HCV) treatment in Australia has undergone a major paradigm shift since the advent of direct acting anti-viral (DAA) therapy. Uptake of DAA therapy for HCV is falling despite universalisation of access through pharmaceutical benefit scheme listing. In our study, 26% of chronic hepatitis C patients presenting to a tertiary hospital were referred for treatment. Hospital admissions constitute an excellent opportunity to identify and treat patients with chronic hepatitis C. Extrapolating this study, both nationally and internationally, would serve to supplement treatment numbers in the goal of HCV eradication.