Demographic and anthropometrical analysis and genotype distribution of chronic hepatitis C patients treated in public and private reference centers in Brazil

Abstract

Hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection is a serious public health problem, since 80% to 85% of HCV carriers develop a persistent infection that can progress into liver cirrhosis and hepatocarcinoma. Considering that the response of hepatitis C patients to combination therapy with interferon and ribavirin depends on HCV characteristics as well as on host features, we made a retrospective analysis of demographic and anthropometrical data and HCV genotype distribution of chronic hepatitis C patients treated in public and private reference centers in Brazil. The medical records of 4,996 patients were reviewed, 81% from public and 19% from private institutions. Patients' median age was 46 years, and there was a higher prevalence of male (62%) and white patients (80%). The analysis of HCV-infecting strains showed a predominance of genotype 1 (64%) over genotypes 2 and 3. The patients' mean weight was 70.6 kg, and 65% of the patients weighed less than 77 kg. Overweight and obesity were observed in 37.8% and 13.6% of the patients, respectively. Since a body weight of 75 kg or less has been considered an independent factor that significantly increases the odds of achieving a sustained virological response, the Brazilian population seems to have a more favorable body weight profile to achieve a sustained response than the American and European populations. The finding that 65% of chronic hepatitis C patients have a body weight of 77 kg or less may have a positive pharmacoeconomic impact on the treatment of genotype 1 HCV patients with weight-based doses of peginterferon.

High prevalence of hepatitis C associated with familial history of hepatitis in a small town of south Brazil: efficiency of the rapid test for epidemiological survey

“…27 Similar results were found by Focaccia et al 28 In hemodialysis patients from Central Brazil, the genotype 3 was present in 7.6%. 29 In Tamboara, the great majority of HCV individuals carry genotype 3.…”

Chronic hepatitis C virus in the state of Piauí, northeastern Brazil

“…In the Northeast Region of Brazil, studies from the states of Bahia, Ceará and Rio Grande do Norte indicate that the main genotypes of HCV are types 1 and 3 [11][12][13][14][15][16]. Even though this genotype distribution resembles that found in Brazil as a whole, in fact these surveys had frequently presented only selective studies of specific groups such as drugs users, hemophiliacs, patients with chronic kidney disease and blood donors [15][16][17][18][19][20][21].…”

Hepatite B e C: diagnóstico e tratamento

“…Por fim, todos esses pacientes também devem ser submetidos a rastreio para carcinoma hepatocelular. Dos seis principais genótipos agrupados no mundo, os genótipos 1, 2 e 3 são os mais frequentes no Brasil 38 . A distinção entre a infecção aguda e crônica para a hepatite C é diferenciada pelo tempo em que o HCV permanece detectável no portador, ou seja, para ser diagnosticada como hepatite crônica o vírus deve ser detectado por tempo superior a seis meses.…”