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Lopes SS, Pericot-Valverde I, Dotherow JE, Lum PJ, Taylor LE, Mehta SH, Tsui JI, Feinberg J, Kim AY, Norton BL, Page K, Murray-Krezan C, Anderson J, Karasz A, Arnsten J, Moschella P, Heo M, Litwin AH. Effect of self-efficacy among persons who inject drugs treated with direct-acting antivirals on Hepatitis C treatment initiation, duration, completion, adherence, and cure. Drug Alcohol Depend 2024; 262:111384. [PMID: 38991632 DOI: 10.1016/j.drugalcdep.2024.111384] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/22/2024] [Revised: 05/23/2024] [Accepted: 06/28/2024] [Indexed: 07/13/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Self-efficacy, a patient-level factor, has been shown to facilitate patient engagement in treatment and optimize treatment-related outcomes in various health contexts. Research on interventions supporting hepatitis C virus (HCV) direct-acting antiviral (DAA) treatment uptake and adherence among persons who inject drugs (PWID) is needed, but whether self-efficacy factors influence DAA treatment cascade outcomes in this population has been less studied. METHODS Using the HERO study data, we analyzed a subset of participants with any general health self-efficacy data (n=708) measured at baseline and end-of-treatment time points using a 5-items instrument (facets: 'goal setting', 'goal attainment', 'having a positive effect', 'being in control', and 'working to improve'). The cascade outcomes included DAA treatment initiation, duration, adherence, completion, and sustained virologic response (SVR). The effect of baseline and change (Δ) scores for composite and item-level self-efficacy on the cascade outcomes was assessed using logistic regression and generalized linear models. RESULTS Higher baseline composite self-efficacy [adjusted odds ratio (95 % confidence interval) =1.57 (1.07, 2.29)], 'goal attainment' [1.31 (1.03, 1.67)] and 'having a positive effect' [1.33 (1.03, 1.74)] were associated with greater likelihood of treatment initiation. 'Δ Goal attainment' was significantly associated with SVR [1.63 (1.04, 2.53)]. 'Δ Being in control' and 'Δ working to improve' were associated with treatment adherence and duration, respectively. CONCLUSIONS General health self-efficacy positively influences DAA treatment initiation among PWID. 'Goal attainment' facilitates the achievement of DAA treatment-related outcomes. Further studies should assess the effect of self-efficacy related to performing healthcare tasks specific to DAAs on the treatment-related outcomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Snehal S Lopes
- Department of Public Health Sciences, Clemson University, Clemson, SC 29634, USA
| | - Irene Pericot-Valverde
- Department of Psychology, College of Behavioral, Social, and Health Sciences, Clemson University, Clemson, SC 29634, USA
| | - J Edward Dotherow
- Department of Public Health Sciences, Clemson University, Clemson, SC 29634, USA
| | - Paula J Lum
- Department of Medicine, University of California, San Francisco, 1001 Potrero Ave, San Francisco, CA 94110, USA
| | - Lynn E Taylor
- Department of Pharmacy Practice and Clinical Research, University of Rhode Island, 7 Greenhouse Road, Kingston, RI 02881, USA
| | - Shruti H Mehta
- Department of Epidemiology, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, 615 N. Wolfe Street, Room E6546, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
| | - Judith I Tsui
- Department of Medicine, University of Washington, 325 9th Ave, Seattle, WA 98104, USA
| | - Judith Feinberg
- Department of Behavioral Medicine and Psychiatry, West Virginia University School of Medicine, 930 Chestnut Ridge Road, Morgantown, WV 26505, USA; Department of Medicine, Section of Infectious Diseases, West Virginia University School of Medicine, 1 Medical Center Drive, Morgantown, WV 26506, USA
| | - Arthur Y Kim
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Massachusetts General Hospital, 55 Fruit St, Boston, MA 02114, USA; Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Brianna L Norton
- Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY 10461, USA; Department of Medicine, Montefiore Medical Center, Bronx, NY 10467, USA
| | - Kimberly Page
- Department of Internal Medicine, University of New Mexico Health Sciences Center, University of New Mexico, MSC 10 5550, Albuquerque, NM 87131, USA
| | - Cristina Murray-Krezan
- Division of General Internal Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA 15213, USA
| | - Jessica Anderson
- Department of Internal Medicine, University of New Mexico Health Sciences Center, University of New Mexico, MSC 10 5550, Albuquerque, NM 87131, USA
| | - Alison Karasz
- UMass Chan Medical School, University of Massachusetts Medical School, 55 Lake Ave, North Worcester, MA 01605, USA
| | - Julia Arnsten
- Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY 10461, USA; Department of Medicine, Montefiore Medical Center, Bronx, NY 10467, USA
| | - Phillip Moschella
- Department of Emergency Medicine, Prisma Health, Greenville, SC, USA; School of Health Research, Clemson University, Clemson, SC, USA; Department of Medicine, University of South Carolina School of Medicine, 876 W Faris Rd, Greenville, SC 29605, USA
| | - Moonseong Heo
- Department of Public Health Sciences, Clemson University, Clemson, SC 29634, USA
| | - Alain H Litwin
- School of Health Research, Clemson University, Clemson, SC, USA; Department of Medicine, University of South Carolina School of Medicine, 876 W Faris Rd, Greenville, SC 29605, USA; Department of Medicine, Prisma Health, Greenville, SC, USA.
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Havens JR, Lofwall MR, Young AM, Staton M, Schaninger T, Fraser H, Vickerman P, Walsh SL. Predictors of engagement in screening for a hepatitis C virus (HCV) treatment trial in a rural Appalachian community. J Viral Hepat 2024; 31:293-299. [PMID: 38436098 PMCID: PMC11102319 DOI: 10.1111/jvh.13933] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/08/2024] [Revised: 01/29/2024] [Accepted: 02/21/2024] [Indexed: 03/05/2024]
Abstract
An HCV treatment trial was initiated in September 2019 to address the opioid/hepatitis C virus (HCV) syndemic in rural Kentucky. The focus of the current analysis is on participation in diagnostic screening for the trial. Initial eligibility (≥18 years of age, county resident) was established by phone followed by in-person HCV viremia testing. 900 rural residents met the inclusion criteria and comprised the analytic sample. Generalized linear models were specified to estimate the relative risk of non-attendance at the in-person visit determining HCV eligibility. Approximately one-quarter (22.1%) of scheduled participants were no-shows. People who inject drugs were no more likely than people not injecting drugs to be a no-show; however, participants ≤35 years of age were significantly less likely to attend. While the median time between phone screening and scheduled in-person screening was only 2 days, each additional day increased the odds of no-show by 3% (95% confidence interval: 2%-3%). Finally, unknown HCV status predicted no-show even after adjustment for age, gender, days between screenings and injection status. We found that drug injection did not predict no-show, further justifying expanded access to HCV treatment among people who inject drugs. Those 35 years and younger were more likely to no-show, suggesting that younger individuals may require targeted strategies for increasing testing and treatment uptake. Finally, streamlining the treatment cascade may also improve outcomes, as participants in the current study were more likely to attend if there were fewer days between phone screening and scheduled in-person screening.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jennifer R. Havens
- Center on Drug and Alcohol Research, Department of Behavioral Science, University of Kentucky College of Medicine, Lexington, KY USA
| | - Michelle R. Lofwall
- Center on Drug and Alcohol Research, Department of Behavioral Science, University of Kentucky College of Medicine, Lexington, KY USA
| | - April M. Young
- Center on Drug and Alcohol Research, Department of Behavioral Science, University of Kentucky College of Medicine, Lexington, KY USA
- Department of Epidemiology, University of Kentucky College of Public Health, Lexington, KY USA
| | - Michele Staton
- Center on Drug and Alcohol Research, Department of Behavioral Science, University of Kentucky College of Medicine, Lexington, KY USA
| | - Takako Schaninger
- Division of Infectious Disease, Department of Internal Medicine, University of Kentucky College of Medicine, Lexington, KY USA
| | - Hannah Fraser
- Bristol Population Health Sciences Institute, Bristol Medical School, Bristol, United Kingdom
| | - Peter Vickerman
- Bristol Population Health Sciences Institute, Bristol Medical School, Bristol, United Kingdom
| | - Sharon L. Walsh
- Center on Drug and Alcohol Research, Department of Behavioral Science, University of Kentucky College of Medicine, Lexington, KY USA
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Basyte-Bacevice V, Kupcinskas L. Viral Hepatitis C: From Unraveling the Nature of Disease to Cure and Global Elimination. Dig Dis 2024:1-10. [PMID: 38718765 DOI: 10.1159/000539210] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/18/2023] [Accepted: 04/23/2024] [Indexed: 06/13/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The discovery of the hepatitis C virus (HCV) and direct-acting antiviral (DAA) drugs is one of the major milestones in the last 3 decades of medicine. These discoveries encouraged the World Health Organization (WHO) to set an ambitious goal to eliminate HCV by 2030, meaning "a 90% reduction in new cases of chronic HCV, a 65% reduction in HCV deaths, and treatment of 80% of eligible people with HCV infections." SUMMARY This review summarizes the key achievements from the discovery of HCV to the development of effective treatment and global elimination strategies. A better understanding of HCV structure, enzymes, and lifecycle led to the introduction of new drug targets and the discovery of DAA. Massive public health interventions are required, such as screening, access to care, treatment, and post-care follow-up, to make the most of DAA's potential. Screening must be supported by fast, accessible, sensitive, specific HCV diagnostic tests and noninvasive methods to determine the stage of liver disease. Linkage to care and treatment access are critical components of a comprehensive HCV elimination program, and decentralization plays a key role in ensuring their effectiveness. KEY MESSAGES Effective and simple screening strategies, rapid diagnostic tools, linkage to health care, and accessible treatment are key elements to achieving the WHO's goal. Incorporating treatment as prevention strategies into elimination programs together with preventive education and harm reduction interventions can have a profound and lasting impact on reducing both the incidence and prevalence of HCV. However, WHO's goal can be challenging to implement because of the need for high financial resources and strong political commitment.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Limas Kupcinskas
- Institute for Digestive Research, Lithuanian University of Health Sciences, Kaunas, Lithuania
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4
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Graf C, Sarrazin C. [The status of national and global hepatitis C elimination]. INNERE MEDIZIN (HEIDELBERG, GERMANY) 2024; 65:308-317. [PMID: 38478058 DOI: 10.1007/s00108-024-01684-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 02/15/2024] [Indexed: 03/23/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND In 2016, the World Health Organization propagated the elimination of hepatitis C virus (HCV) by 2030 in order to address the public health threat posed by viral hepatitis. This article looks at the progress that has been made globally and in Germany since 2016. METHODS A selective literature search was conducted, with particular focus on studies and reviews relating to the elimination of hepatitis C infection both globally and in Germany. RESULTS In 2020, 56.8 million HCV infections were counted worldwide, which corresponds to a decline of 6.8 million since 2015. Countries that made a significant contribution to the elimination figures during this period included Egypt, Georgia, and Iceland, which were able to drastically reduce the number of HCV infections by means of national commitment in politics and healthcare. With regard to the status of elimination in Germany, the inclusion of screening for viral hepatitis in the general health check-up ("Check-up 35") in 2022/2023 has led to a significant increase in HCV case numbers. Globally and in Germany, men who have sex with men, intravenous drug users, migrants, and prison inmates are particularly vulnerable groups with regard to HCV infection. CONCLUSION In order to sustainably eliminate HCV, it is necessary to optimize education and prevention strategies in risk groups. With regard to the subgroup of prison inmates, political measures must be used to create a standardized approach in prison medicine. At a global level, elimination in low- and middle-income countries needs to be promoted in the future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christiana Graf
- Medizinische Klinik II, LMU Universitätsklinikum München, Marchioninistr. 15, 81377, München, Deutschland.
| | - Christoph Sarrazin
- Medizinische Klinik I, Klinikum der Goethe-Universität Frankfurt am Main, Frankfurt am Main, Deutschland
- Medizinische Klinik II, St. Josefs-Hospital, Wiesbaden, Deutschland
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Malaguti A, Byrne CJ, Sani F, Power K, Eriksen A, Dillon JF. Drug network identification predicts injecting risk behavior among people who inject drugs on hepatitis C virus treatment in Tayside, Scotland. Behav Med 2024; 50:130-140. [PMID: 36411523 DOI: 10.1080/08964289.2022.2142501] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/27/2022] [Revised: 10/10/2022] [Accepted: 10/28/2022] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
Abstract
The risk of Hepatitis C Virus (HCV) acquisition among People Who Inject Drugs (PWID) remains high when injecting risk behavior within networks endures. Several psychosocial factors influence such behavior. Following a drive within Tayside, a geographic region in Scotland, to achieve World Health Organization HCV elimination targets, addressing HCV re-infection risk as a barrier to elimination is critically important. This cross-sectional study seeks to address this barrier to elimination by investigating associations between group identification (one's subjective sense of belonging and connectedness to a social group coupled with a sense of shared goals, beliefs and values with the other members of the group) and injecting risk behavior among PWID on HCV treatment at needle and syringe provision sites in Tayside. Participants completed psychosocial questionnaires between treatment weeks zero and three of treatment. Correlation analyses were undertaken, and significant factors included in multiple linear regression models for injecting risk behavior. Injecting frequency, drug network identification, and family identification, were correlated with injecting risk behavior, and drug network identification had a positive predictive on injecting risk behavior. Identification with a social group, conventionally associated with improved health, may pose health risks in specific contexts. Healthcare providers should consider stratifying individuals with higher group identification with PWID networks for enhanced harm reduction engagement to mitigate transmissible infection risk among PWID. Additionally, psychological interventions to strengthen group identification with networks which impact positively on health behavior should be explored.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amy Malaguti
- Tayside Drug and Alcohol Recovery Psychology Service, Constitution House, NHS Tayside, Dundee, UK
- Department of Psychology, Scrymgeour Building, School of Social Sciences, University of Dundee, Dundee, UK
| | - Christopher J Byrne
- Division of Molecular and Clinical Medicine, School of Medicine, University of Dundee, Ninewells Hospital and Medical School, Dundee, UK
- Directorate of Public Health, Kings Cross Hospital, NHS Tayside, Dundee, UK
| | - Fabio Sani
- Department of Psychology, Scrymgeour Building, School of Social Sciences, University of Dundee, Dundee, UK
| | - Kevin Power
- Tayside Adult Psychological Therapy Services, Dudhope Terrace, NHS Tayside, Dundee, UK
- School of Natural Sciences, University of Stirling, Stirling, UK
| | - Ann Eriksen
- Directorate of Public Health, Kings Cross Hospital, NHS Tayside, Dundee, UK
| | - John F Dillon
- Division of Molecular and Clinical Medicine, School of Medicine, University of Dundee, Ninewells Hospital and Medical School, Dundee, UK
- Department of Gastroenterology, NHS Tayside, Ninewells Hospital and Medical School, Dundee, UK
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Yew KC, Tan QR, Lim PC, Low WY, Lee CY. Assessing the impact of direct-acting antivirals on hepatitis C complications: a systematic review and meta-analysis. NAUNYN-SCHMIEDEBERG'S ARCHIVES OF PHARMACOLOGY 2024; 397:1421-1431. [PMID: 37728622 DOI: 10.1007/s00210-023-02716-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/26/2023] [Accepted: 09/06/2023] [Indexed: 09/21/2023]
Abstract
Direct-acting antivirals (DAA) have become the treatment of choice for hepatitis C. Nevertheless, efficacy of DAA in preventing hepatitis C complications remains uncertain. We evaluated the impact of DAA on hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) occurrence and recurrence, all-cause mortality, liver decompensation and liver transplantation as compared to non-DAA treated hepatitis C and the association to baseline liver status. A systematic search for articles from March 1993 to March 2022 was conducted using three electronic databases. Randomized, case-control and cohort studies with comparison to non-DAA treatment and reporting at least one outcome were included. Meta-analysis and sub-group meta-analysis based on baseline liver status were performed. Of 1497 articles retrieved, 19 studies were included, comprising of 266,310 patients (56.07% male). DAA reduced HCC occurrence significantly in non-cirrhosis (RR 0.80, 95% CI 0.69-0.92) and cirrhosis (RR 0.39, 95% CI 0.24-0.64) but not in decompensated cirrhosis. DAA treatment lowered HCC recurrence (RR 0.71, 95% CI 0.55-0.92) especially in patients with baseline HCC and waiting for liver transplant. DAA also reduced all-cause mortality (RR 0.43, 95% CI 0.23-0.78) and liver decompensation (RR 0.52, 95% CI 0.33-0.83) significantly. However, DAA did not prevent liver transplantation. The study highlighted the importance of early DAA initiation in hepatitis C treatment for benefits beyond sustained virological response. DAA therapy prevented HCC particularly in non-cirrhosis and compensated cirrhosis groups indicating benefits in preventing further worsening of liver status. Starting DAA early also reduced HCC recurrence, liver decompensation, and all-cause mortality.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kuo Chao Yew
- Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Tan Tock Seng Hospital, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Quan Rui Tan
- Imperial College London-Nanyang Technological University Lee Kong Chian School of Medicine, Singapore, Singapore
- Ministry of Health Holdings Pte Ltd, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Phei Ching Lim
- Pharmacy Department, Hospital Pulau Pinang, Ministry of Health Malaysia, Georgetown, Penang, Malaysia
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Universiti Sains Malaysia, 11800, Minden, Penang, Malaysia
| | - Wei Yang Low
- Imperial College London-Nanyang Technological University Lee Kong Chian School of Medicine, Singapore, Singapore
- Ministry of Health Holdings Pte Ltd, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Chong Yew Lee
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Universiti Sains Malaysia, 11800, Minden, Penang, Malaysia.
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Gliddon HD, Ward Z, Heinsbroek E, Croxford S, Edmundson C, Hope VD, Simmons R, Mitchell H, Hickman M, Vickerman P, Stone J. Has the HCV cascade of care changed among people who inject drugs in England since the introduction of direct-acting antivirals? THE INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF DRUG POLICY 2024:104324. [PMID: 38218700 DOI: 10.1016/j.drugpo.2024.104324] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/24/2023] [Revised: 12/31/2023] [Accepted: 01/03/2024] [Indexed: 01/15/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND In England, over 80 % of those with hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection have injected drugs. We quantified the HCV cascade of care (CoC) among people who inject drugs (PWID) in England and determined whether this improved after direct-acting antivirals (DAAs) were introduced. METHODS We analysed data from nine rounds of national annual cross-sectional surveys of PWID recruited from drug services (2011-2019; N = 12,320). Study rounds were grouped as: 'Pre-DAAs' (2011-2014), 'Prioritised DAAs' (2015-2016) and 'Unrestricted DAAs' (2017-2019). Participants were anonymously tested for HCV antibodies and RNA and completed a short survey. We assessed the proportion of PWID recently (current/previous year) tested for HCV. For participants ever HCV treatment eligible (past chronic infection with history of treatment or current chronic infection), we assessed the CoC as: HCV testing (ever), received a positive test result, seen a specialist nurse/doctor, and ever treated. We used logistic regression to determine if individuals progressed through the CoC differently depending on time-period, whether time-period was associated with recent testing (all participants) and lifetime HCV treatment (ever eligible participants), and predictors of HCV testing and treatment in the Unrestricted DAAs period. RESULTS The proportion of ever HCV treatment eligible PWID reporting lifetime HCV treatment increased from 12.5 % in the Pre-DAAs period to 25.6 % in the Unrestricted DAAs period (aOR:2.40, 95 %CI:1.95-2.96). There were also increases in seeing a specialist nurse/doctor. The largest loss in the CoC was at treatment for all time periods. During the Unrestricted DAAs period, recent (past year) homelessness (vs never, aOR:0.66, 95 %CI:0.45-0.97), duration of injecting (≤3 years vs >3 years; aOR:0.26, 95 %CI:0.12-0.60), never (vs current, aOR:0.31, 95 %CI:0.13-0.75) or previously being prescribed OAT (vs current, aOR:0.67, 95 %CI:0.47-0.95), and never using a NSP (vs past year, aOR:0.27, 95 %CI:0.08-0.89) were negatively associated with lifetime HCV treatment. The proportion of PWID reporting recent HCV testing was higher during Unrestricted DAAs (56 %) compared to Pre-DAAs (48 %; aOR:1.28, 95 %CI:1.06-1.54). CONCLUSION COC stages from seeing a specialist onwards improved after DAAs became widely available. Further improvements in HCV testing are needed to eliminate HCV in England.
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Affiliation(s)
- H D Gliddon
- Population Health Sciences, Bristol Medical School, University of Bristol, Bristol, United Kingdom; National Public Health Specialty Training Programme, South West, United Kingdom
| | - Z Ward
- Population Health Sciences, Bristol Medical School, University of Bristol, Bristol, United Kingdom; NIHR Health Protection Research Unit in Behavioural Science and Evaluation at University of Bristol, United Kingdom
| | - E Heinsbroek
- Blood Safety, Hepatitis, Sexually Transmitted Infections and HIV Service, UK Health Security Agency, London, United Kingdom
| | - S Croxford
- National Public Health Speciality Training Programme, West Midlands, United Kingdom
| | - C Edmundson
- Blood Safety, Hepatitis, Sexually Transmitted Infections and HIV Service, UK Health Security Agency, London, United Kingdom
| | - V D Hope
- Public Health Institute, Liverpool John Moores University, Liverpool, United Kingdom
| | - R Simmons
- Blood Safety, Hepatitis, Sexually Transmitted Infections and HIV Service, UK Health Security Agency, London, United Kingdom
| | - H Mitchell
- Blood Safety, Hepatitis, Sexually Transmitted Infections and HIV Service, UK Health Security Agency, London, United Kingdom
| | - M Hickman
- Population Health Sciences, Bristol Medical School, University of Bristol, Bristol, United Kingdom; NIHR Health Protection Research Unit in Behavioural Science and Evaluation at University of Bristol, United Kingdom
| | - P Vickerman
- Population Health Sciences, Bristol Medical School, University of Bristol, Bristol, United Kingdom; NIHR Health Protection Research Unit in Behavioural Science and Evaluation at University of Bristol, United Kingdom
| | - J Stone
- Population Health Sciences, Bristol Medical School, University of Bristol, Bristol, United Kingdom; NIHR Health Protection Research Unit in Behavioural Science and Evaluation at University of Bristol, United Kingdom.
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Dawe J, Hughes M, Christensen S, Walsh L, Richmond JA, Pedrana A, Wilkinson AL, Owen L, Doyle JS. Evaluation of a person-centred, nurse-led model of care delivering hepatitis C testing and treatment in priority settings: a mixed-methods evaluation of the Tasmanian Eliminate Hepatitis C Australia Outreach Project, 2020-2022. BMC Public Health 2023; 23:2289. [PMID: 37985979 PMCID: PMC10662700 DOI: 10.1186/s12889-023-17066-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/30/2023] [Accepted: 10/25/2023] [Indexed: 11/22/2023] Open
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Australia has experienced sustained reductions in hepatitis C testing and treatment and may miss its 2030 elimination targets. Addressing gaps in community-based hepatitis C prescribing in priority settings that did not have, or did not prioritise, hepatitis C testing and treatment care pathways is critical. METHODS The Tasmanian Eliminate Hepatitis C Australia Outreach Project delivered a nurse-led outreach model of care servicing hepatitis C priority populations in the community through the Tasmanian Statewide Sexual Health Service, supported by the Eliminating Hepatitis C Australia partnership. Settings included alcohol and other drug services, needle and syringe programs and mental health services. The project provided clients with clinical care across the hepatitis C cascade of care, including testing, treatment, and post-treatment support and hepatitis C education for staff. RESULTS Between July 2020 and July 2022, a total of 43 sites were visited by one Clinical Nurse Consultant. There was a total of 695 interactions with clients across 219 days of service delivery by the Clinical Nurse Consultant. A total of 383 clients were tested for hepatitis C (antibody, RNA, or both). A total of 75 clients were diagnosed with hepatitis C RNA, of which 95% (71/75) commenced treatment, 83% (62/75) completed treatment and 52% (39/75) received a negative hepatitis C RNA test at least 12 weeks after treatment completion. CONCLUSIONS Providing outreach hepatitis C services in community-based services was effective in engaging people living with and at-risk of hepatitis C, in education, testing, and care. Nurse-led, person-centred care was critical to the success of the project. Our evaluation underscores the importance of employing a partnership approach when delivering hepatitis C models of care in community settings, and incorporating workforce education and capacity-building activities when working with non-specialist healthcare professionals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joshua Dawe
- Disease Elimination, Burnet Institute, Melbourne, Australia.
| | - Megan Hughes
- Sexual Health Service Tasmania, Hobart, Australia
| | | | - Louisa Walsh
- Disease Elimination, Burnet Institute, Melbourne, Australia
- Centre for Health Communication and Participation, La Trobe University, Melbourne, Australia
| | | | - Alisa Pedrana
- Disease Elimination, Burnet Institute, Melbourne, Australia
- School of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, Monash University, Melbourne, Australia
| | - Anna L Wilkinson
- Disease Elimination, Burnet Institute, Melbourne, Australia
- School of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, Monash University, Melbourne, Australia
- Melbourne School of Population and Global Health, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Australia
| | - Louise Owen
- Sexual Health Service Tasmania, Hobart, Australia
| | - Joseph S Doyle
- Disease Elimination, Burnet Institute, Melbourne, Australia
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Alfred Health and Monash University, Melbourne, Australia
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Lazarus JV, Picchio CA, Colombo M. Hepatocellular Carcinoma Prevention in the Era of Hepatitis C Elimination. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:14404. [PMID: 37762706 PMCID: PMC10531569 DOI: 10.3390/ijms241814404] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/19/2023] [Revised: 09/13/2023] [Accepted: 09/13/2023] [Indexed: 09/29/2023] Open
Abstract
The hepatitis C virus (HCV), a single-stranded RNA virus belonging to the Flaviviridae family, is a major cause of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) worldwide. Tumors caused by HCC have an increased mortality rate globally, which is more accentuated in Western countries. The carcinogenic potential of this virus is mediated through a wide range of mechanisms, spanning from the induction of chronic inflammation to oxidative stress and deregulation of cellular pathways by viral proteins. As the number of new infections continues unabated, HCC-related mortality should be prioritized through early detection, continued prevention of HCV transmission, and treatment of HCV with safe and efficacious direct antiviral agents (DAAs). People who inject drugs (PWID) are a significant reservoir of new HCV infections globally, and in order to eliminate hepatitis C as a global health threat, as set out by the World Health Organization, an integrated approach based on the optimization of care delivery and increased access to harm reduction and treatment for PWID is needed. Thanks to the development of safe and effective antiviral agents, eradication of the infection is now possible in almost all treated patients, leading to a significant reduction but not the elimination of the risk for HCC in cured patients. This is particularly relevant among aged populations who have cofactors of morbidity known to accelerate HCC progression, such as diabetes, obesity, and excessive alcohol consumption. Given the restless accumulation of individuals with cured HCV infection, the implementation of risk-stratified surveillance programs becomes impellent from a cost-effectiveness perspective, whereas the availability of a performant biomarker to predict HCC in cured patients remains an unmet clinical need.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jeffrey V. Lazarus
- HPAM, CUNY Graduate School of Public Health and Health Policy (CUNY SPH), New York, NY 10027, USA;
- Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Barcelona, 08036 Barcelona, Spain
- Barcelona Institute for Global Health (ISGlobal), Hospital Clínic, University of Barcelona, 08036 Barcelona, Spain;
| | - Camila A. Picchio
- Barcelona Institute for Global Health (ISGlobal), Hospital Clínic, University of Barcelona, 08036 Barcelona, Spain;
| | - Massimo Colombo
- EASL International Liver Foundation, 1203 Geneva, Switzerland
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Byrne CJ, Malaguti A, Inglis SK, Dillon JF. Mixed-methods evaluation of point-of-care hepatitis C virus RNA testing in a Scottish prison. BMJ Open 2023; 13:e068604. [PMID: 37037621 DOI: 10.1136/bmjopen-2022-068604] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/12/2023] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVES Hepatitis C virus (HCV) poses a global public health threat. Prisons are a focus of prevention efforts due to high infection burdens. Expedition of treatment for incarcerated people is critical, as many are short-term sentenced. We evaluated point-of-care (PoC) HCV RNA testing in a maximum-security Scottish prison and assessed its impact on transition to treatment. We also evaluated costs and determinants of implementation. DESIGN Mixed-methods evaluation of a single-centre care pathway pilot using National Health Service (NHS) data from 2018 to 2021. Descriptive statistics and survival analysis were undertaken. Cost analysis was assessed from a provider perspective. Healthcare staff participated in semistructured interviews and thematic analysis with a deductive approach was undertaken to identify implementation determinants. SETTING A large maximum-security Scottish prison health centre administered by the NHS. PARTICIPANTS 296 incarcerated NHS patients (all men) and six NHS staff members (two men and four women). INTERVENTIONS HCV testing using the Cepheid GeneXpert platform with Xpert HCV VL Fingerstick assay. OUTCOME MEASURES The main outcome was survival (in days) from HCV test to treatment initiation. Secondary outcomes were cost-per-cure obtained and implementation determinants. RESULTS During the pilot, 167 Xpert tests were administered, with an 84% completion rate, and treatment transition was superior for those who received it (p=0.014). Where PoC tests were administered, shorter survival to treatment was observed (19 vs 33 days: adjusted HR (aHR) 1.91 (1.03-3.55), p=0.040; 19 vs 50 days; aHR 3.76 (1.67-8.46), p=0.001). PoC was costlier than conventional testing. In qualitative analysis, most facilitators were observed among characteristics of individual domain while most barriers were noted in the inner setting. CONCLUSIONS Integrating PoC HCV RNA diagnosis into nurse-led HCV care in a maximum-security prison health centre shortens survival to HCV treatment. However, there are cost implications to this approach and multiple determinants that impact on implementation should be addressed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christopher J Byrne
- Division of Molecular and Clinical Medicine, University of Dundee, Dundee, UK
- Directorate of Public Health, NHS Tayside, Dundee, UK
| | - Amy Malaguti
- Tayside Drug and Alcohol Recovery Psychology Service, NHS Tayside, Dundee, UK
- Department of Psychology, University of Dundee, Dundee, UK
| | | | - John F Dillon
- Division of Molecular and Clinical Medicine, University of Dundee, Dundee, UK
- Department of Gastroenterology, NHS Tayside, Dundee, UK
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11
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Yousafzai MT, Alavi M, Valerio H, Hajarizadeh B, Grebely J, Dore GJ. Hepatitis C care cascade before and during the direct-acting antiviral eras in New South Wales, Australia: A population-based linkage study. J Viral Hepat 2023; 30:250-261. [PMID: 36537024 DOI: 10.1111/jvh.13791] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/06/2022] [Revised: 11/15/2022] [Accepted: 12/10/2022] [Indexed: 01/12/2023]
Abstract
The hepatitis C virus (HCV) care cascade characterization is important for monitoring progress towards HCV elimination. This study evaluated HCV care cascade and factors associated with treatment during pre-DAA (2011-2012 and 2013-2015) and DAA (2016-2018) eras in New South Wales (NSW), Australia. We conducted a cohort study of people with an HCV notification (1993 to 2017) through end 2018, linked to administrative datasets, including HCV treatment and non-hospital services. Those aged <18 years, died within first 6 months of study period or notification, and who had successful HCV treatment in period before were excluded. Sex-specific spontaneous viral clearance was incorporated to estimate treatment-eligible population. The study population in each period were cumulative and brought forward from one period to the next. Among 115,667 people with HCV notification, 87,063 fulfilled eligibility criteria. During 2011 to 2012, 2013 to 2015, and 2016 to 2018, cumulative HCV notifications were 71,677, 77,969, and 80,017; 52,016, 56,793, and 57,467 were eligible for treatment; 29%, 48%, and 64% confirmed HCV RNA positive; and 0.6%, 5%, and 38% initiated HCV treatment, respectively. Birth cohort 1945 to 1964 (vs. ≥1965), males, non-Aboriginal ethnicity, regional/rural area of residence, and HCV/HIV co-infection were associated with higher treatment uptake. Incarceration and drug dependence were associated with higher treatment uptake during the DAA era. In Australia, many marginalized populations including those incarcerated and those with drug dependence have equitable treatment uptake in the DAA era. Targeted strategies are required to enhance treatment uptake for females and Aboriginal populations.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Maryam Alavi
- The Kirby Institute, UNSW Sydney, Sydney, Australia
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12
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Di Ciaccio M, Villes V, Perfect C, El Kaim JL, Donatelli M, James C, Easterbrook P, Delabre RM. Need for integration of hepatitis C (HCV) services in community-based settings for people who inject drugs: results from a global values and preferences survey. Harm Reduct J 2023; 20:15. [PMID: 36759855 PMCID: PMC9909907 DOI: 10.1186/s12954-023-00743-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/10/2022] [Accepted: 01/25/2023] [Indexed: 02/11/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND To inform the development of updated World Health Organization (WHO) guidelines on simplified service delivery for HCV infection, a global survey was undertaken among people affected or infected by HCV. The objective of this analysis is to identify specific needs and preferences among people who inject drugs. METHODS A multi-country, anonymous, self-administered online survey conducted in 2021 was developed by Coalition PLUS and the World Hepatitis Alliance in partnership with the WHO. Preferences for test and treat locations and simplifying HCV care were collected among people affected or infected by HCV. Chi-square tests were used to compare respondents who identified with current or former injection drug users through identification with key population to other respondents who did not identify with this key population. RESULTS Among 202 respondents, 62 (30.7%) identified with current/former injection drug users. Compared to other respondents, they were: older [median (IQR): 48 (36-57) vs. 39 (31-51) years, p = 0.003]; more likely to have been tested for HCV (90.2% vs. 64.3%, p = 0.001); more likely to prefer testing in a community-based centre (CBC) (55.4% vs. 33.3%, p = 0.005); or in a support centres for people who use drugs (SCPUD)(50.0% vs. 9.8%, p < 0.001). The most important considerations regarding testing locations among people identified with current/former injection drug users (compared to the other respondents) were: non-judgemental atmosphere (p < 0.001), anonymity (p = 0.018) and community worker (CW) presence (p < 0.001). People identified with current/former injection drug users were more likely to prefer to receive HCV treatment in a CBC (63.0% vs. 44.8%, p = 0.028) or in a SCPUD (46.3% vs. 9.5%, p < 0.001), compared to the other respondents. The most important considerations regarding treatment locations among people identified with current/former injection drug users were the non-stigmatising/non-judgemental approach at the site (p < 0.001) and the presence of community-friendly medical personnel or CW (p = 0.016 and 0.002), compared to the other respondents. CONCLUSION The preferences of people identified with current/former injection drug users indicated specific needs concerning HCV services. Integration of HCV services in community-based risk reduction centres may be an important element in the development of adapted services to increase uptake and retention in HCV care among this population.
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Affiliation(s)
- M. Di Ciaccio
- Community-Based Research Laboratory, Coalition PLUS, Pantin, France
| | - V. Villes
- Community-Based Research Laboratory, Coalition PLUS, Pantin, France
| | - C. Perfect
- Advocacy Department, Coalition PLUS, Pantin, France
| | | | - M. Donatelli
- Advocacy Department, Coalition PLUS, Pantin, France
| | - C. James
- World Hepatitis Alliance, London, UK
| | - P. Easterbrook
- grid.3575.40000000121633745Department of Global HIV, Hepatitis and STI Programmes, World Health Organization, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - R. M. Delabre
- Community-Based Research Laboratory, Coalition PLUS, Pantin, France
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13
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Passos-Castilho AM, Udhesister STP, Fontaine G, Jeong D, Dickie M, Lund C, Russell R, Kronfli N. The 11th Canadian Symposium on Hepatitis C Virus: 'Getting back on track towards hepatitis C elimination'. CANADIAN LIVER JOURNAL 2023; 6:56-69. [PMID: 36908576 PMCID: PMC9997521 DOI: 10.3138/canlivj-2022-0034] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/15/2022] [Accepted: 08/20/2022] [Indexed: 11/05/2022]
Abstract
Hepatitis C virus (HCV) affects approximately 204,000 Canadians. Safe and effective direct-acting antiviral therapies have contributed to decreased rates of chronic HCV infection and increased treatment uptake in Canada, but major challenges for HCV elimination remain. The 11th Canadian Symposium on Hepatitis C Virus took place in Ottawa, Ontario on May 13, 2022 as a hybrid conference themed 'Getting back on track towards hepatitis C elimination.' It brought together research scientists, clinicians, community health workers, patient advocates, community members, and public health officials to discuss priorities for HCV elimination in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, which had devastating effects on HCV care in Canada, particularly on priority populations. Plenary sessions showcased topical research from prominent international and national researchers, complemented by select abstract presentations. This event was hosted by the Canadian Network on Hepatitis C (CanHepC), with support from the Public Health Agency of Canada and the Canadian Institutes of Health Research and in partnership with the Canadian Liver Meeting. CanHepC has an established record in HCV research and in advocacy activities to address improved diagnosis and treatment, and immediate and long-term needs of those affected by HCV infection. The Symposium addressed the remaining challenges and barriers to HCV elimination in priority populations and principles for meaningful engagement of Indigenous communities and individuals with living and lived experience in HCV research. It emphasized the need for disaggregated data and simplified pathways for creating and monitoring interventions for equitably achieving elimination targets.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ana Maria Passos-Castilho
- Centre for Clinical Epidemiology, Lady Davis Institute, Jewish General Hospital, Montreal, Quebec, Canada.,Department of Medicine, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
| | - Sasha Tejna Persaud Udhesister
- Faculté de Médecine, Université de Montréal, Centre de Recherche du Centre hospitalier de l'Université de Montré (CRCHUM), Montréal, Québec, Canada
| | - Guillaume Fontaine
- Clinical Epidemiology Program, Ottawa Hospital Research Institute, Faculty of Medicine, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
| | - Dahn Jeong
- School of Population and Public Health, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Melisa Dickie
- Community Health Programming, CATIE, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | | | - Rodney Russell
- Division of BioMedical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, Memorial University of Newfoundland, St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada
| | - Nadine Kronfli
- Department of Medicine, Division of Infectious Diseases and Chronic Viral Illness Service, McGill University Health Centre, Montreal, Quebec, Canada.,Research Institute of the McGill University Health Centre, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
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14
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Wedemeyer H, Tergast TL, Lazarus JV, Razavi H, Bakoyannis K, Baptista-Leite R, Bartoli M, Bruggmann P, Buşoi CS, Buti M, Carballo M, Castera L, Colombo M, Coutinho RS, Dadon Y, Esmat G, Esteban R, Farran JC, Gillyon-Powell M, Goldberg D, Hutchinson S, Janssen HLA, Kalamitsis G, Kondili LA, Lambert JS, Marinho RT, Maticic M, Patricello A, Peck-Radosavljevic M, Pol S, Poljak M, Pop C, Sokol T, Sypsa V, Tözün N, Younossi Z, Aghemo A, Papatheodoridis GV, Hatzakis A. Securing wider EU commitment to the elimination of hepatitis C virus. Liver Int 2023; 43:276-291. [PMID: 36196744 DOI: 10.1111/liv.15446] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/23/2022] [Revised: 09/04/2022] [Accepted: 09/29/2022] [Indexed: 01/25/2023]
Abstract
In 2016, the Hepatitis B and C Public Policy Association (HepBCPPA), gathered all the main stakeholders in the field of hepatitis C virus (HCV) to launch the now landmark HCV Elimination Manifesto, calling for the elimination of HCV in the EU by 2030. Since then, many European countries have made progress towards HCV elimination. Multiple programmes-from the municipality level to the EU level-were launched, resulting in an overall decrease in viremic HCV infections and liver-related mortality. However, as of 2021, most countries are not on track to reach the 2030 HCV elimination targets set by the WHO. Moreover, the COVID-19 pandemic has resulted in a decrease in HCV diagnoses and fewer direct-acting antiviral treatment initiations in 2020. Diagnostic and therapeutic tools to easily diagnose and treat chronic HCV infection are now well established. Treating all patients with chronic HCV infection is more cost-saving than treating and caring for patients with liver-related complications, decompensated cirrhosis or hepatocellular carcinoma. It is more important than ever to reinforce and scale-up action towards HCV elimination. Yet, efforts urgently need the dedicated commitment of policymakers at all governmental and policy levels. Therefore, the third EU Policy Summit, held in March 2021, featured EU parliamentarians and other key decision makers to promote dialogue and take strides towards securing wider EU commitment to advance and achieve HCV elimination by 2030. We have summarized the key action points and reported the 'Call-to-Action' statement supported by all the major relevant European associations in the field.
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Affiliation(s)
- Heiner Wedemeyer
- Department of Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Endocrinology, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany
| | - Tammo L Tergast
- Department of Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Endocrinology, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany
| | - Jeffrey V Lazarus
- Barcelona Institute for Global Health (ISGlobal), Hospital Clínic, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Homie Razavi
- Center for Disease Analysis Foundation, Lafayette, Colorado, USA
| | | | - Ricardo Baptista-Leite
- Faculty of Health, Medicine and Life Sciences, Maastricht University, Maastricht, the Netherlands.,Institute of Health Sciences, Católica University of Portugal, Lisbon, Portugal
| | | | | | | | - Maria Buti
- Liver Unit, Hospital Universitari Vall d'Hebron and CIBERHED del Instituto Carlos III, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Manuel Carballo
- International Centre for Migration, Health and Development, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Laurent Castera
- Department of Hepatology, Hôpital Beaujon AP-HP-University of Paris-VII, Clichy, France
| | | | | | | | - Gamal Esmat
- Endemic Medicine and Department of HepatoGastroenterology Faculty of Medicine, Cairo University Hospital, Cairo, Egypt
| | - Rafael Esteban
- Liver Unit, Hospital Universitari Vall d'Hebron and CIBERHED del Instituto Carlos III, Barcelona, Spain
| | | | | | | | - Sharon Hutchinson
- School of Health and Life Sciences, Glasgow Caledonian University, Glasgow, UK
| | - Harry L A Janssen
- Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Erasmus MC University Medical Center, Rotterdam, the Netherlands
| | | | | | - John S Lambert
- Mater Misericordiae University Hospital, and UCD School of Medicine, Dublin, Ireland
| | - Rui Tato Marinho
- Serviço de Gastrenterologia e Hepatologia, Hospital Santa Maria, Centro Hospitalar Universitário Lisboa Norte EPE, Lisbon, Portugal
| | - Mojca Maticic
- Clinic for Infectious Diseases and Febrile Illnesses, University Medical Centre, Ljubljana, Slovenia.,Faculty of Medicine, University of Ljubljana, Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | | | - Markus Peck-Radosavljevic
- Department of Internal Medicine and Gastroenterology (IMuG) Hepatology, Endocrinology, Rheumatology and Nephrology with Centralized Emergency Department (ZAE), Klagenfurt, Austria
| | - Stanislas Pol
- Department of Hepatology, Université de Paris, APHP, Hopital Cochin, Paris, France
| | - Mario Poljak
- Faculty of Medicine, Institute of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Ljubljana, Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | - Cora Pop
- Carol Davila University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Bucharest, Romania
| | | | - Vana Sypsa
- Epidemiology and Preventive Medicine, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens Medical School, Athens, Greece
| | - Nurdan Tözün
- Department of Gastroenterology, Acibadem Mehmet Ali Aydinlar University School of Medicine, Istanbul, Turkey
| | - Zobair Younossi
- Department of Medicine, Inova Health Fairfax Medical Campus, Fairfax, Virginia, USA
| | - Alessio Aghemo
- Division of Internal Medicine and Hepatology, Department of Gastroenterology, IRCCS Humanitas Clinical and Research Hospital, Milan, Italy
| | - George V Papatheodoridis
- Department of Gastroenterology, Medical School of National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Athens, Greece
| | - Angelos Hatzakis
- Epidemiology and Preventive Medicine, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens Medical School, Athens, Greece
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15
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Tergast TL, Protzer U, Zeuzem S, Heitmann L, Sarrazin C, Lehmann M, Ingiliz P, Cornberg M, Zimmermann R, Gerlich MG, Buggisch P, Wiebner B, Wedemeyer H. [Strategietreffen: Virushepatitis in Deutschland eliminieren]. ZEITSCHRIFT FUR GASTROENTEROLOGIE 2023; 61:198-201. [PMID: 36736343 PMCID: PMC9897951 DOI: 10.1055/a-1978-9021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/05/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- T L Tergast
- Klinik für Gastroenterologie, Hepatologie und Endokrinologie, Medizinische Hochschule Hannover, Carl-Neuberg-Str. 1, 30625 Hannover
| | - U Protzer
- Institut für Virologie, Technische Universität München/Helmholtz Zentrum München, München
| | - S Zeuzem
- Medizinische Klinik I Gastroenterologie, Hepatologie, Pneumologie, Endokrinologie, Universitätsklinikum Frankfurt, Frankfurt, Deutschland
| | - L Heitmann
- Mitglied des deutschen Bundestages, Platz der Republik 1, 11011 Berlin
| | - C Sarrazin
- Medizinische Klinik II, Innere Medizin, St. Josefs-Hospital Wiesbaden, Germany
| | - M Lehmann
- Justizvollzugskrankenhaus JVA Plötzensee, Saatwinkler Damm 1A, 13627 Berlin, Germany
| | - P Ingiliz
- Hôpitaux Universitaires Henri Mondor
| | - M Cornberg
- Klinik für Gastroenterologie, Hepatologie und Endokrinologie, Medizinische Hochschule Hannover, Carl-Neuberg-Str. 1, 30625 Hannover
- Deutsche Leberstiftung, Hannover, Germany
| | - R Zimmermann
- Abteilung für Infektionsepidemiologie, Robert Koch-Institut, Berlin, Germany
| | - M G Gerlich
- Bundeszentrale für gesundheitliche Aufklärung, Köln
| | - P Buggisch
- ifi-Institut für interdisziplinäre Medizin, Hamburg
| | - B Wiebner
- Deutsche Leberstiftung, Hannover, Germany
| | - H Wedemeyer
- Klinik für Gastroenterologie, Hepatologie und Endokrinologie, Medizinische Hochschule Hannover, Carl-Neuberg-Str. 1, 30625 Hannover
- Deutsche Leberstiftung, Hannover, Germany
- Hepatitis B and C Public Policy Association (HepBCPPA)
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16
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Austin EJ, Gojic AJ, Bhatraju EP, Pierce KA, Pickering EI, Tung EL, Scott JD, Hansen RN, Glick SN, Stekler JD, Connolly NC, Villafuerte S, McPadden M, Deutsch S, Ninburg M, Kubiniec R, Williams EC, Tsui JI. Barriers and facilitators to implementing a Pharmacist, Physician, and Patient Navigator-Collaborative Care Model (PPP-CCM) to treat hepatitis C among people who inject drugs. THE INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF DRUG POLICY 2023; 111:103924. [PMID: 36521197 PMCID: PMC9868078 DOI: 10.1016/j.drugpo.2022.103924] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/24/2022] [Revised: 11/21/2022] [Accepted: 11/26/2022] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Direct-acting antivirals (DAAs) offer an unprecedented opportunity to eliminate hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection, yet barriers among people who inject drugs (PWID) remain. Having pharmacists provide care through collaborative drug therapy agreements (CDTAs) offers a promising solution. We developed and piloted a Pharmacist, Physician, and Patient Navigator-Collaborative Care Model (PPP-CCM) which utilized pharmacists to directly deliver HCV care at community organizations serving PWID. We conducted formative evaluation of the PPP-CCM pilot to characterize implementation experiences. METHODS The PPP-CCM was implemented from November of 2020 through July of 2022. Formative evaluation team members observed implementation-related meetings and conducted multiple site visits, taking detailed fieldnotes. Fieldnotes were iteratively reviewed to identify barriers and facilitators to implementation and used to inform 7 key informant interviews conducted with programmatic staff at the end of the pilot. All data were analyzed using a Rapid Assessment Process (RAP) guided by the Consolidated Framework for Implementation Research (CFIR). The formative evaluation team shared results with program stakeholders (pharmacists, physicians, and other site staff) to verify and expand on learnings. RESULTS Evaluation of PPP-CCM revealed 5 themes, encompassing all CFIR domains: 1) PPP-CCM was feasible but challenging to deliver efficiently; 2) the pharmacist role and characteristics (e.g., being flexible, available, and patient-centered) were key to PPP-CCM successes; 3) the PPP-CCM team met challenges engaging patients over time, but some team-based strategies helped; 4) community site characteristics (e.g., existing trusting relationships with PWID and physical space that enabled program visibility) were important contributors; and 5) financial barriers may limit PPP-CCM scale-up and sustainability. CONCLUSION PPP-CCM is a novel and promising approach to HCV care delivery for PWID who may previously lack engagement in traditional care models, but careful attention needs to be paid to financial barriers to ensure scalability and sustainability.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elizabeth J Austin
- Department of Health Systems and Population Health, University of Washington, Seattle WA, United States.
| | - Alexander J Gojic
- Department of Medicine, Division of General Internal Medicine University of Washington, Seattle WA, United States
| | - Elenore P Bhatraju
- Department of Medicine, Division of General Internal Medicine University of Washington, Seattle WA, United States
| | - Kathleen A Pierce
- Department of Pharmacy, University of Washington, Seattle WA, United States; Kelley-Ross Pharmacy Group, Seattle WA, United States
| | - Eleanor I Pickering
- Department of Social and Behavioral Sciences, Yale School of Public Health, United States
| | - Elyse L Tung
- Department of Pharmacy, University of Washington, Seattle WA, United States; Kelley-Ross Pharmacy Group, Seattle WA, United States
| | - John D Scott
- Department of Medicine, Division of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, University of Washington, Seattle WA, United States
| | - Ryan N Hansen
- Department of Pharmacy, University of Washington, Seattle WA, United States; Kelley-Ross Pharmacy Group, Seattle WA, United States
| | - Sara N Glick
- Department of Medicine, Division of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, University of Washington, Seattle WA, United States; HIV/STD Program, Public Health - Seattle & King County, Seattle WA, United States
| | - Joanne D Stekler
- Department of Medicine, Division of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, University of Washington, Seattle WA, United States
| | - Nancy C Connolly
- Department of Medicine, Division of General Internal Medicine University of Washington, Seattle WA, United States
| | - Sarah Villafuerte
- Hepatitis Education Project, Seattle WA, United States (affiliation at the time of research)
| | - Madison McPadden
- Hepatitis Education Project, Seattle WA, United States (affiliation at the time of research)
| | - Sarah Deutsch
- Hepatitis Education Project, Seattle WA, United States (affiliation at the time of research)
| | - Michael Ninburg
- Hepatitis Education Project, Seattle WA, United States (affiliation at the time of research)
| | | | - Emily C Williams
- Department of Health Systems and Population Health, University of Washington, Seattle WA, United States; Seattle-Denver Center of Innovation for Veteran-Centered and Value-Driven Care, Health Services Research & Development, VA Puget Sound, Seattle WA, United States
| | - Judith I Tsui
- Department of Medicine, Division of General Internal Medicine University of Washington, Seattle WA, United States
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17
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Lawson E, Walthall H. Barriers to accessing sterile injecting equipment for people who inject drugs: An integrative review. J Clin Nurs 2022. [PMID: 36068712 DOI: 10.1111/jocn.16517] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/24/2022] [Revised: 08/01/2022] [Accepted: 08/14/2022] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The global prevalence of hepatitis C virus infection is estimated to be 71 million, with an estimated 6.1 million of those having recently injected drugs. The recognised measures to prevent hepatitis C transmission in people who inject drugs are needle and syringe programmes. As people who inject drugs are at considerable risk of hepatitis C transmission, understanding the barriers they encounter when accessing needle and syringe programmes is important to support the hepatitis C elimination goal. OBJECTIVE This integrative review aimed to synthesise research exploring the barriers to accessing sterile injecting equipment faced by people who inject drugs. METHODS An integrative review was conducted guided by the PRISMA 2020 checklist, based on a systematic literature search using the following databases: CINAHL, MEDLINE, PsycINFO, Embase, psychology & behavioural sciences collection, and Emcare, as well as Google Scholar. RESULTS The search returned seven studies which met the criteria, and four key themes were identified: stigma; experienced and internalised, purchase experience, practical issues, and fear of negative consequences. Participants reported barriers such as the location of the services, and concerns around confidentiality when accessing services. In addition to this, the fear of arrest and the involvement of social services proved to discourage access to these services. CONCLUSIONS People who inject drugs face many challenges when accessing sterile injecting equipment, such as stigma, purchase experience, practical issues and fears and concerns. To support the World Health Organisation Hepatitis C virus elimination plan, these barriers must be tackled to maximise the provision and reduce hepatitis C transmission and reinfection rates. Since the level of research on this topic is limited, further studies are strongly needed. NO PATIENT OR PUBLIC CONTRIBUTION Patient and public involvement were not used for this review.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elaine Lawson
- Oxford University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Oxford, UK
| | - Helen Walthall
- Oxford University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Oxford, UK.,Oxford Biomedical Research Centre, Oxford, UK
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18
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Mohamed R, White TM, Lazarus JV, Salem A, Kaki R, Marrakchi W, Kheir SGM, Amer I, Ahmed FM, Khayat MA, Al-Abdullah N, Ali B, Sultan R, Alamri B, Abdulmajid A, Kooli I, Chakroun M, Madani TA, Esmat G, Cordie A. COVID-19 vaccine acceptance and associated factors among people living with HIV in the Middle East and North Africa region. South Afr J HIV Med 2022; 23:1391. [PMID: 36101660 PMCID: PMC9452923 DOI: 10.4102/sajhivmed.v23i1.1391] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/18/2022] [Accepted: 05/18/2022] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Identifying coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccine acceptance and associated factors among people living with HIV (PLHIV) in the Middle East and North Africa region is important to meet the need for broad-scale vaccination against COVID-19. Objectives To investigate the COVID-19 vaccine acceptance rate and factors among PLHIV in the Middle East and North Africa region. Method An online cross-sectional survey was conducted among PLHIV currently living in Egypt, Tunisia and Saudi Arabia between March 2021 and August 2021. Results Of the 540 respondents, 19.3% reported already being vaccinated against COVID-19 (n = 104), 32.0% responded ‘definitely yes’ (n = 173), and 13.3% responded ‘probably yes’ (n = 72) for intention to receive a COVID-19 vaccine, with an overall COVID-19 vaccine acceptance rate of 64.6% among PLHIV in the region. The most significant predictors of COVID-19 vaccine acceptance included feeling less worried about COVID-19 transmission post-vaccination (221.0% higher odds), and believing the disease is vaccine-preventable (160.0% higher odds). Reported barriers to COVID-19 vaccine acceptance include concerns about vaccine effectiveness and belief that HIV medications protect against COVID-19 transmission, living in a rural area and reporting less-frequent engagement with HIV care. Nine out of 10 participants reported that the chances of them getting COVID-19 vaccine would increase if given adequate information and if their doctor recommended it. Conclusion Findings of the study can help researchers, health officials, and other health system actors understand the predictors and barriers to COVID-19 vaccine acceptance reported by PLHIV. This understanding could inform the future planning of interventions tailored to PLHIV.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rahma Mohamed
- Endemic Medicine Department, Kasr Alaini School of Medicine, Cairo University Hospitals, Cairo, Egypt
- Kasr Al-Aini HIV and Viral Hepatitis Fighting Group, Kasr Alaini School of Medicine, Cairo University Hospitals, Cairo, Egypt
| | - Trenton M. White
- Barcelona Institute for Global Health (ISGlobal), Hospital Clinic, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Jeffrey V. Lazarus
- Barcelona Institute for Global Health (ISGlobal), Hospital Clinic, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
- Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Amany Salem
- Department of Public Health, Kasr Alaini School of Medicine, Cairo University, Cairo, Egypt
| | - Reham Kaki
- Department of Infectious Disease, Infection Control and Environmental Health, Faculty of Medicine, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
| | - Wafa Marrakchi
- Infectious Diseases Department, Faculty of Medicine, University Hospital of Monastir, Monastir, Tunisia
| | - Sara G. M Kheir
- Disease Control Directorate, Federal Ministry of Health, Khartoum, Sudan
| | - Ibrahim Amer
- Department of Hepatology, Gastroenterology and Infectious Diseases, Faculty of Medicine, Kafr El-Sheikh University, Kafr El-Sheikh, Egypt
| | - Fida M Ahmed
- Department of Infectious Disease, Infection Control and Environmental Health, Faculty of Medicine, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
| | - Maie A Khayat
- Department of Infectious Disease, Infection Control and Environmental Health, Faculty of Medicine, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
| | | | - Batool Ali
- Department of Infectious Diseases, East Jeddah General Hospital, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
| | - Roaa Sultan
- Department of Infectious Diseases, East Jeddah General Hospital, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
| | - Bandar Alamri
- Department of Infectious Diseases, East Jeddah General Hospital, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
| | - Anouf Abdulmajid
- Department of Infectious Diseases, East Jeddah General Hospital, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
| | - Ikbal Kooli
- Infectious Diseases Department, Faculty of Medicine, University Hospital of Monastir, Monastir, Tunisia
| | - Mohamed Chakroun
- Infectious Diseases Department, Faculty of Medicine, University Hospital of Monastir, Monastir, Tunisia
| | - Tariq A. Madani
- Department of Infectious Disease, Infection Control and Environmental Health, Faculty of Medicine, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
| | - Gamal Esmat
- Endemic Medicine Department, Kasr Alaini School of Medicine, Cairo University Hospitals, Cairo, Egypt
| | - Ahmed Cordie
- Endemic Medicine Department, Kasr Alaini School of Medicine, Cairo University Hospitals, Cairo, Egypt
- Kasr Al-Aini HIV and Viral Hepatitis Fighting Group, Kasr Alaini School of Medicine, Cairo University Hospitals, Cairo, Egypt
- Infectious Diseases Department, Armed Forces College of Medicine, Cairo, Egypt
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19
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20
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Asynchronous electronic consultation between primary care and specialized care proved effective for continuum of care for viraemic hepatitis C patients. GASTROENTEROLOGÍA Y HEPATOLOGÍA 2022; 46:266-273. [PMID: 35964811 DOI: 10.1016/j.gastrohep.2022.08.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/14/2022] [Accepted: 08/08/2022] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION It has been proposed that primary care diagnose and treat hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection. However, a care circuit between primary and specialized care based on electronic consultation (EC) can be just as efficient in the micro-elimination of HCV. It is proposed to study characteristics and predictive factors of continuity of care in a circuit between primary and specialized care. METHODS From February/2018 to December/2019, all EC between primary and specialized care were evaluated and those due to HCV were identified. Variables for regression analysis and to identify predictors of completing the care cascade were recorded. RESULTS From 8098 EC, 138 were performed by 89 (29%) general practitioners over 118 patients (median 50.8 years; 74.6% men) and were related to HCV (1.9%). Ninety-two patients (78%) were diagnosed>6 months ago, and 26.3% met criteria for late presentation. Overall, 105 patients required assessment by the hepatologist, 82% (n=86) presented for the appointment, of which 67.6% (n=71) were viraemic, 98.6% of known. Finally, 61.9% (n=65) started treatment. Late-presenting status was identified as an independent predictor to complete the care cascade (OR 1.93, CI 1.71-1.99, p<0.001). CONCLUSION Communication pathway between Primary and Specialized Care based on EC is effective in avoiding significant losses of viraemic patients. However, the referral rate is very low, high in late-stage diagnoses, heterogeneous, and low in new diagnoses. Therefore, early detection strategies for HCV infection in primary care are urgently needed.
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21
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Tai CM, Huang CK, Changchien TC, Lin PC, Wang DW, Chang TT, Chan HW, Chen TH, Tseng CH, Chen CC, Tsai CT, Sie YT, Yen YC, Yu ML. Collaborative Referral Model to Achieve Hepatitis C Micro-Elimination in Methadone Maintenance Treatment Patients during the COVID-19 Pandemic. Viruses 2022; 14:v14081637. [PMID: 35893702 PMCID: PMC9332799 DOI: 10.3390/v14081637] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/03/2022] [Revised: 07/16/2022] [Accepted: 07/26/2022] [Indexed: 02/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Although hepatitis C virus (HCV) prevails in patients receiving methadone maintenance treatment (MMT), most do not receive anti-HCV therapy. This single-center observational study aimed to achieve HCV micro-elimination at an MMT center during the COVID-19 pandemic using a collaborative referral model, which comprised a referral-for-diagnosis stage (January 2020 to August 2020) and an on-site-diagnosis stage (September 2020 to January 2021). A multidisciplinary team was established and all MMT center patients were enrolled. HCV micro-elimination was defined as >90% of HCV-infected patients diagnosed and >80% of HCV-viremic patients treated. A total of 305 MMT patients, including 275 (90.2%) anti-HCV seropositive patients, were enrolled. Among 189 HCV-infected patients needing referral, the accumulative percentage receiving HCV RNA testing increased from 93 (49.2%) at referral-for-diagnosis stage to 168 (88.9%) at on-site-diagnosis stage. Among 138 HCV-viremic patients, the accumulative percentage receiving direct-acting antiviral (DAA) therapy increased from 77 (55.8%) at referral-for-diagnosis stage to 129 (93.5%) at on-site-diagnosis stage. We achieved an HCV RNA testing rate of 92.4% (254/275), an HCV treatment rate of 95.8% (203/212) and a sustained virological response rate of 94.1% (191/203). The collaborative referral model is highly effective in HCV RNA testing and HCV treatment uptake among MMT patients, achieving HCV micro-elimination.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chi-Ming Tai
- Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Department of Internal Medicine, E-Da Hospital, I-Shou University, Kaohsiung 84001, Taiwan; (C.-M.T.); (T.-H.C.)
- School of Medicine, College of Medicine, I-Shou University, Kaohsiung 84001, Taiwan; (T.-C.C.); (P.-C.L.); (D.-W.W.); (T.-T.C.); (H.-W.C.); (C.-H.T.); (C.-C.C.); (Y.-T.S.)
| | - Chun-Kai Huang
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Internal Medicine, E-Da Hospital, I-Shou University, Kaohsiung 84001, Taiwan; (C.-K.H.); (C.-T.T.)
- Department of Infection Control, E-Da Hospital, I-Shou University, Kaohsiung 84001, Taiwan
| | - Te-Chang Changchien
- School of Medicine, College of Medicine, I-Shou University, Kaohsiung 84001, Taiwan; (T.-C.C.); (P.-C.L.); (D.-W.W.); (T.-T.C.); (H.-W.C.); (C.-H.T.); (C.-C.C.); (Y.-T.S.)
- Department of Psychiatry, E-Da Hospital, I-Shou University, Kaohsiung 84001, Taiwan
| | - Po-Chun Lin
- School of Medicine, College of Medicine, I-Shou University, Kaohsiung 84001, Taiwan; (T.-C.C.); (P.-C.L.); (D.-W.W.); (T.-T.C.); (H.-W.C.); (C.-H.T.); (C.-C.C.); (Y.-T.S.)
- Department of Psychiatry, E-Da Hospital, I-Shou University, Kaohsiung 84001, Taiwan
| | - Deng-Wu Wang
- School of Medicine, College of Medicine, I-Shou University, Kaohsiung 84001, Taiwan; (T.-C.C.); (P.-C.L.); (D.-W.W.); (T.-T.C.); (H.-W.C.); (C.-H.T.); (C.-C.C.); (Y.-T.S.)
- Department of Psychiatry, E-Da Hospital, I-Shou University, Kaohsiung 84001, Taiwan
| | - Ting-Ting Chang
- School of Medicine, College of Medicine, I-Shou University, Kaohsiung 84001, Taiwan; (T.-C.C.); (P.-C.L.); (D.-W.W.); (T.-T.C.); (H.-W.C.); (C.-H.T.); (C.-C.C.); (Y.-T.S.)
- Department of Psychiatry, E-Da Hospital, I-Shou University, Kaohsiung 84001, Taiwan
| | - Hsue-Wei Chan
- School of Medicine, College of Medicine, I-Shou University, Kaohsiung 84001, Taiwan; (T.-C.C.); (P.-C.L.); (D.-W.W.); (T.-T.C.); (H.-W.C.); (C.-H.T.); (C.-C.C.); (Y.-T.S.)
- Department of Psychiatry, E-Da Hospital, I-Shou University, Kaohsiung 84001, Taiwan
| | - Tzu-Haw Chen
- Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Department of Internal Medicine, E-Da Hospital, I-Shou University, Kaohsiung 84001, Taiwan; (C.-M.T.); (T.-H.C.)
- School of Medicine, College of Medicine, I-Shou University, Kaohsiung 84001, Taiwan; (T.-C.C.); (P.-C.L.); (D.-W.W.); (T.-T.C.); (H.-W.C.); (C.-H.T.); (C.-C.C.); (Y.-T.S.)
| | - Cheng-Hao Tseng
- School of Medicine, College of Medicine, I-Shou University, Kaohsiung 84001, Taiwan; (T.-C.C.); (P.-C.L.); (D.-W.W.); (T.-T.C.); (H.-W.C.); (C.-H.T.); (C.-C.C.); (Y.-T.S.)
- Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Department of Internal Medicine, E-Da Cancer Hospital, I-Shou University, Kaohsiung 84001, Taiwan
| | - Chih-Cheng Chen
- School of Medicine, College of Medicine, I-Shou University, Kaohsiung 84001, Taiwan; (T.-C.C.); (P.-C.L.); (D.-W.W.); (T.-T.C.); (H.-W.C.); (C.-H.T.); (C.-C.C.); (Y.-T.S.)
- Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Department of Internal Medicine, E-Da Cancer Hospital, I-Shou University, Kaohsiung 84001, Taiwan
| | - Chia-Ta Tsai
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Internal Medicine, E-Da Hospital, I-Shou University, Kaohsiung 84001, Taiwan; (C.-K.H.); (C.-T.T.)
- Department of Infection Control, E-Da Hospital, I-Shou University, Kaohsiung 84001, Taiwan
| | - Yu-Ting Sie
- School of Medicine, College of Medicine, I-Shou University, Kaohsiung 84001, Taiwan; (T.-C.C.); (P.-C.L.); (D.-W.W.); (T.-T.C.); (H.-W.C.); (C.-H.T.); (C.-C.C.); (Y.-T.S.)
- Department of Psychiatry, E-Da Hospital, I-Shou University, Kaohsiung 84001, Taiwan
| | - Yung-Chieh Yen
- School of Medicine, College of Medicine, I-Shou University, Kaohsiung 84001, Taiwan; (T.-C.C.); (P.-C.L.); (D.-W.W.); (T.-T.C.); (H.-W.C.); (C.-H.T.); (C.-C.C.); (Y.-T.S.)
- Department of Psychiatry, E-Da Hospital, I-Shou University, Kaohsiung 84001, Taiwan
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +886-7-615-0931; Fax: +886-7-615-0913
| | - Ming-Lung Yu
- Hepatobiliary Division, Department of Internal Medicine, Kaohsiung Medical University Hospital, Kaohsiung 80756, Taiwan;
- School of Medicine and Hepatitis Research Center, College of Medicine, and Center for Liquid Biopsy and Cohort Research, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung 80708, Taiwan
- School of Medicine, College of Medicine, National Sun Yat-sen University, Kaohsiung 80420, Taiwan
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22
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Harless C, Lugo B, Ostrach B. Hepatitis C and HIV Screening, Testing, and Risk Perceptions among South-Central Appalachian County Health Department Staff. South Med J 2022; 115:422-428. [PMID: 35777748 DOI: 10.14423/smj.0000000000001409] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES Hepatitis C virus (HCV) and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) are significant public health concerns, especially given the risks for disease interactions. Rates of HCV and HIV are increasing, especially in rural areas. Local health departments (LHDs) play an important role in rural health care, offering screening, testing, and treatment for HCV and HIV. Gaps persist in LHD resources for meeting these demands, especially in Appalachia and the US South. METHODS To explore HCV/HIV screening, testing, and treatment approaches and perspectives in south-central Appalachian North Carolina, structured telephone questionnaires were administered to communicable disease nurses and other health department staff directly involved in screening and testing. Mixed-methods data analyses were conducted and triangulated with stakeholders. RESULTS Eighteen participants representing 19 counties completed the questionnaire, achieving a saturation sample. Participants reported barriers to screening and testing, including housing insecurity, lack of transportation and insurance, unemployment, and the isolation of living in a rural area. Divergence in perceptions of barriers between public health regions emerged, as did perceptions of who is at risk and use of stigmatizing language about people at risk for HCV/HIV. CONCLUSIONS This study highlights the impact of LHD behaviors and perceptions on screening and testing, and offers recommendations to improve HCV/HIV screening and testing accessibility in south-central Appalachia, a high-risk region.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chase Harless
- From the Department of Public Health, East Tennessee State University, Johnson City, Tennessee, Adams School of Dentistry, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, and Medical Anthropology & Family Medicine, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Brunilda Lugo
- From the Department of Public Health, East Tennessee State University, Johnson City, Tennessee, Adams School of Dentistry, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, and Medical Anthropology & Family Medicine, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Bayla Ostrach
- From the Department of Public Health, East Tennessee State University, Johnson City, Tennessee, Adams School of Dentistry, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, and Medical Anthropology & Family Medicine, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, Massachusetts
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23
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Brennan PN, Byrne CJ, Dillon JF. Decentralisation of hepatitis C virus care into community settings: A key approach on the path to elimination. Liver Int 2022; 42:1222-1224. [PMID: 35678037 DOI: 10.1111/liv.15229] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/01/2021] [Accepted: 12/15/2021] [Indexed: 02/13/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Paul N Brennan
- University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK.,Division of Molecular and Clinical Medicine, Ninewells Hospital, University of Dundee School of Medicine, Dundee, UK.,Department of Gastroenterology, NHS Tayside, Ninewells Hospital & Medical School, Dundee, UK
| | - Christopher J Byrne
- Division of Molecular and Clinical Medicine, Ninewells Hospital, University of Dundee School of Medicine, Dundee, UK.,Tayside Clinical Trials Unit, University of Dundee, Dundee, UK
| | - John F Dillon
- Division of Molecular and Clinical Medicine, Ninewells Hospital, University of Dundee School of Medicine, Dundee, UK.,Department of Gastroenterology, NHS Tayside, Ninewells Hospital & Medical School, Dundee, UK
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Telemedicine Improves HCV Elimination among Italian People Who Use Drugs: An Innovative Therapeutic Model to Increase the Adherence to Treatment into Addiction Care Centers Evaluated before and during the COVID-19 Pandemic. BIOLOGY 2022; 11:biology11060800. [PMID: 35741321 PMCID: PMC9219716 DOI: 10.3390/biology11060800] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/22/2022] [Revised: 05/19/2022] [Accepted: 05/19/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
Simple Summary People who use drugs represent a category of patients to be prioritized for antiviral treatment for the purpose of hepatitis C elimination, due to their younger age and the major risk of viral transmission, acting as a virus reservoir. The treatment challenges for hepatitis C in this population are related to an ineffective linkage to care, poor adherence to treatment, and follow-up and the risk of re-infection. The COVID-19 pandemic has further exacerbated these conditions, increasing the concerns among clinicians regarding the effectiveness of their treatment. In our study, we describe a novel “patient-tailored” model-of-care for people who use drugs. The antiviral therapy was adapted to the needs of the patient and monitored remotely by a hepatological specialist, in order to decentralize the point of care within the addiction center. The study was conducted before and during the COVID-19 pandemic, clearly demonstrating the model’s high effectiveness in the linkage to care, adherence, and response to antiviral therapy. Abstract People who use drugs (PWUDs) are generally considered “hard-to-treat” patients, due to adherence to HCV antiviral therapy or re-infection concerns. Linkage-to-care still remains a significant gap for HCV elimination, worsened by the COVID-19 pandemic. To reduce time-to-treat and improve treatment adherence, we have developed a patient-tailored model-of-care, decentralized within the addiction center and supervised remotely by hepatologists. From January 2017 to December 2020, patients were enrolled in one addiction care center in Southern Italy, where a complete hepatologic assessment, including blood chemistry, ultrasound, and transient elastography examination, was provided. DAAs treatment has been adapted on clinical features, also performing a daily administration during an outpatient visit, and monitored remotely by specialists via telemedicine interactions. Adherence was evaluated on the accomplishment of therapy or on the percentage of attended visits. From a total of 690 PWUDs, 135 had an active HCV infection and were enrolled in the study. All patients started the treatment within 3 weeks after HCV diagnosis. Six drop-outs were recorded, obtaining a sustained virological response at week 12 (SVR12) in 98.5% of PWUDs. There were only two cases of treatment failure, one of which is re-infection. No differences were found between the SVR12 rates before and during the COVID-19 pandemic. We obtained a high SVR12 rate, providing a comprehensive assessment within the addiction care center, tailoring the drug administration with a hepatologic remote stewardship. Our therapeutic model should improve the time-to-treat and treatment adherence in PWUDs.
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25
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Lazarus JV, Picchio CA, Byrne CJ, Crespo J, Colombo M, Cooke GS, Dore GJ, Grebely J, Ward JW, Dillon JF. A Global Systematic Review of Hepatitis C Elimination Efforts through Micro-Elimination. Semin Liver Dis 2022; 42:159-172. [PMID: 35189667 DOI: 10.1055/a-1777-6112] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/01/2023]
Abstract
Microelimination targets specific subpopulations and/or geographic settings for hepatitis C virus (HCV) elimination. This review reports on global HCV microelimination literature published from 2013 to 2020. Data were extracted from publications to report a score based on the four key components defining microelimination. Sustained virologic response (SVR) and treatment initiation proportions were calculated for each manuscript and grouped means of these estimates were compared depending on microelimination score and care setting. A total of 83% of the studies were from high-income settings and mainly included people who use drugs or those incarcerated. Among manuscripts, 18 had "low" microelimination scores, 11 had "high" scores, and the differences in mean proportion who initiated treatment and achieved SVR between low and high score groups were statistically significant. Microelimination can be a useful complementary strategy for driving engagement in HCV treatment and cure. Our analysis suggests that adhering to more of the core microelimination components can improve outcomes. This study is registered with Prospero, registration identification: CRD42020175211.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jeffrey V Lazarus
- Barcelona Institute for Global Health (ISGlobal), Hospital Clínic de Barcelona, Spain
- Faculty of Medicine, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Camila A Picchio
- Barcelona Institute for Global Health (ISGlobal), Hospital Clínic de Barcelona, Spain
| | - Christopher J Byrne
- Division of Molecular and Clinical Medicine, University of Dundee School of Medicine, Ninewells Hospital, Dundee, United Kingdom
| | - Javier Crespo
- Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, University Hospital Marques de Valdecilla. Research Institute Valdecilla-IDIVAL, Santander, Spain
| | - Massimo Colombo
- General Medicine & Liver Center, San Raffaele Hospital, Milan, Italy
| | - Graham S Cooke
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Faculty of Medicine, Imperial College London, United Kingdom
| | | | | | - John W Ward
- Coalition for Global Hepatitis Elimination, The Task Force for Global Health, Atlanta, United States
| | - John F Dillon
- Division of Molecular and Clinical Medicine, University of Dundee School of Medicine, Ninewells Hospital, Dundee, United Kingdom
- Department of Gastroenterology, Ninewells Hospital & Medical School, Dundee, United Kingdom
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26
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Bouare N, Keita M, Delwaide J. Comment on review article: Chronic hepatitis C virus infection cascade of care in pediatric patients. World J Gastroenterol 2022; 28:1494-1498. [PMID: 35582673 PMCID: PMC9048473 DOI: 10.3748/wjg.v28.i14.1494] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/13/2021] [Revised: 10/20/2021] [Accepted: 03/06/2022] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
An enhanced cascade of care should include a younger population, helping to achieve the goal of the World Health Organization with a focus on elimination in the pediatric population. Furthermore, enhanced screening and awareness efforts and continued education of health care providers will improve the outcomes of chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection in the pediatric population. The present work discusses and comments on the topic "cascade of care in HCV chronic pediatric patients".
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Affiliation(s)
- Nouhoum Bouare
- Biomedical Sciences, National Institute of Public Health, Bamako 1771, Mali
| | - Mamadou Keita
- Department of Prevention, Medical and Psychosocial Management, CSLS-HIV-TB-H, Bamako E 595, Mali
| | - Jean Delwaide
- Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, CHULiege, Liege 4000, Belgium
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27
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Bouare N, Keita M, Delwaide J. Comment on review article: Chronic hepatitis C virus infection cascade of care in pediatric patients. World J Gastroenterol 2022. [PMID: 35582673 DOI: 10.3748/wjg.v28.i14.1494 bouare n] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Nouhoum Bouare
- Biomedical Sciences, National Institute of Public Health, Bamako 1771, Mali.
| | - Mamadou Keita
- Department of Prevention, Medical and Psychosocial Management, CSLS-HIV-TB-H, Bamako E 595, Mali
| | - Jean Delwaide
- Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, CHULiege, Liege 4000, Belgium
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28
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Sirpal S, Chandok N. Barriers to hepatitis C diagnosis and treatment in the DAA era: Preliminary results of a community-based survey of primary care practitioners. CANADIAN LIVER JOURNAL 2022; 5:96-100. [DOI: 10.3138/canlivj-2021-0032] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/02/2021] [Accepted: 10/02/2021] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
Notwithstanding the groundbreaking achievement of hepatitis C curative treatment with direct-acting antiviral therapies, Canada faces an uphill battle in reaching the 2030 goal of viral elimination set forth by the World Health Organization, a goal made more difficult by the COVID-19 pandemic. There is limited understanding of the diagnostic and treatment barriers, and challenges in linkage to care in Canada, especially as it pertains to primary care providers in a community context. Therefore, in this article, the authors conducted a survey study to evaluate the following factors: primary care providers’ knowledge of specialist treatment options and the importance of screening and treatment; and patient factors, including transportation, linguistic barriers, and other socio-economic status indicators that impact the screening and management of hepatitis C. The results suggest that public health campaigns that protocolize and/or incentivize screening and referrals may provide solutions to addressing such barriers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sanjeev Sirpal
- Department of Emergency Medicine, CIUSSS du Nord-de-l’Île-de-Montréal, Montréal, Québec, Canada
| | - Natasha Chandok
- Division of Gastroenterology, Department of Medicine, Brampton Civic Hospital, Brampton, Ontario, Canada
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29
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Valencia J, Lazarus JV, Ceballos FC, Troya J, Cuevas G, Resino S, Torres-Macho J, Ryan P. Differences in the hepatitis C virus cascade of care and time to initiation of therapy among vulnerable subpopulations using a mobile unit as point-of-care. Liver Int 2022; 42:309-319. [PMID: 34767680 DOI: 10.1111/liv.15095] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/24/2021] [Accepted: 10/31/2021] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND AIMS People who inject drugs (PWID) and other marginalized populations with high hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection rates represent a unique challenge for treatment initiation due to health, administrative and social barriers. We analysed the HCV cascade of care (CoC) in some vulnerable subpopulations in Madrid, Spain, when using a mobile point-of-care (PoC). METHODS From 2019 to 2021, a mobile unit was used to screen active HCV using a linkage-to-care and two-step PoC-based strategy. Viremic participants were grouped into four subgroups: PWID, homeless individuals and people with a mental health disorder (MHD) and alcohol use disorder (AUD). Logistic regression, and Cox and Aalen's additive models were used to analyse associated factors and differences between groups. RESULTS A prospectively recruited cohort of 214 HCV-infected individuals (73 PWID, 141 homeless, 57 with a MHD and 91 with AUD) participated in the study. The overall HCV CoC analysis found that 178 (83.1%) attended a hospital, 164 (76.6%) initiated direct-acting antiviral therapy and 141 (65.8%) completed therapy, of which 99 (95.2%) achieved sustained virological response (SVR). PWID were significantly less likely to initiate treatment, whereas individuals with AUD waited longer before starting the treatment. Both people with AUD and PWID were significantly less likely to complete HCV treatment. CONCLUSIONS Overall, SVR was achieved in the majority of the participants treated. However, PWID need better linkage to care and treatment, whereas PWID and AUD need more support for treatment completion.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jorge Valencia
- Internal Medicine Service, University Hospital Infanta Leonor, Madrid, Spain.,Harm Reduction Unit 'SMASD', Addictions and Mental Health Department, Madrid, Spain
| | - Jeffrey V Lazarus
- Barcelona Institute for Global Health (ISGlobal), Hospital Clínic, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain.,Faculty of Medicine, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Francisco C Ceballos
- Viral Infection and Immunity Unit, National Centre for Microbiology, Health Institute Carlos III, Madrid, Spain
| | - Jesús Troya
- Internal Medicine Service, University Hospital Infanta Leonor, Madrid, Spain
| | - Guillermo Cuevas
- Internal Medicine Service, University Hospital Infanta Leonor, Madrid, Spain
| | - Salvador Resino
- Viral Infection and Immunity Unit, National Centre for Microbiology, Health Institute Carlos III, Madrid, Spain
| | - Juan Torres-Macho
- Internal Medicine Service, University Hospital Infanta Leonor, Madrid, Spain
| | - Pablo Ryan
- Internal Medicine Service, University Hospital Infanta Leonor, Madrid, Spain.,School of Medicine, Complutense University of Madrid, Madrid, Spain.,Gregorio Marañón Health Research Institute, Madrid, Spain
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Lazarus JV, Mark HE, Colombo M, Demaio S, Dillon JF, George J, Hagström H, Hocking S, Lee N, Nieuwenhuijsen MJ, Rinella ME, Romero-Gomez M, Soriano JB, Schattenberg JM, Tacke F, Tsochatzis EA, Valenti L, Zelber-Sagi S, Ashworth Dirac M, Huang TTK. A sustainable development goal framework to guide multisectoral action on NAFLD through a societal approach. Aliment Pharmacol Ther 2022; 55:234-243. [PMID: 34866201 DOI: 10.1111/apt.16720] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/09/2021] [Revised: 10/07/2021] [Accepted: 11/18/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is a highly prevalent condition that requires a comprehensive and coordinated response across sectors and disciplines. AIMS In the absence of a multisectoral framework to tackle this condition, we developed one using the sustainable development goals (SDGs) as the basis for converging thinking about the design and delivery of public health responses. METHODS A multidisciplinary group identified the SDG targets and indicators for inclusion in the new framework through a two-stage process. Firstly, a core team of three researchers independently reviewed the 169 targets and 231 indicators of the SDGs to select a shortlist. Over two Delphi rounds, a multidisciplinary group of 12 experts selected which of the shortlisted targets and indicators to include. Respondents also provided written feedback on their selection. Targets and indicators with 75% or greater agreement were included in the final framework. RESULTS The final framework comprises 16 targets-representing 9% of all targets and 62% (16/26) of the shortlisted targets-and seven indicators, accounting for 50% (7/14) of the shortlisted indicators and 3% of all indicators. The selected targets and indicators cover a broad range of factors, from health, food and nutrition to education, the economy, and the built environment. CONCLUSIONS Addressing the challenge of NAFLD will require a re-envisioning of the liver health landscape, with greater focus on joined-up systems thinking and action. This new framework can help guide this process, including by outlining the stakeholders with whom the liver health community needs to engage.
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Lazarus JV, Mark HE, Anstee QM, Arab JP, Batterham RL, Castera L, Cortez-Pinto H, Crespo J, Cusi K, Dirac MA, Francque S, George J, Hagström H, Huang TTK, Ismail MH, Kautz A, Sarin SK, Loomba R, Miller V, Newsome PN, Ninburg M, Ocama P, Ratziu V, Rinella M, Romero D, Romero-Gómez M, Schattenberg JM, Tsochatzis EA, Valenti L, Wong VWS, Yilmaz Y, Younossi ZM, Zelber-Sagi S. Advancing the global public health agenda for NAFLD: a consensus statement. Nat Rev Gastroenterol Hepatol 2022; 19:60-78. [PMID: 34707258 DOI: 10.1038/s41575-021-00523-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 319] [Impact Index Per Article: 159.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 09/02/2021] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is a potentially serious liver disease that affects approximately one-quarter of the global adult population, causing a substantial burden of ill health with wide-ranging social and economic implications. It is a multisystem disease and is considered the hepatic component of metabolic syndrome. Unlike other highly prevalent conditions, NAFLD has received little attention from the global public health community. Health system and public health responses to NAFLD have been weak and fragmented, and, despite its pervasiveness, NAFLD is largely unknown outside hepatology and gastroenterology. There is only a nascent global public health movement addressing NAFLD, and the disease is absent from nearly all national and international strategies and policies for non-communicable diseases, including obesity. In this global Delphi study, a multidisciplinary group of experts developed consensus statements and recommendations, which a larger group of collaborators reviewed over three rounds until consensus was achieved. The resulting consensus statements and recommendations address a broad range of topics - from epidemiology, awareness, care and treatment to public health policies and leadership - that have general relevance for policy-makers, health-care practitioners, civil society groups, research institutions and affected populations. These recommendations should provide a strong foundation for a comprehensive public health response to NAFLD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jeffrey V Lazarus
- Barcelona Institute for Global Health (ISGlobal), Hospital Clínic, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain. .,EASL International Liver Foundation, Geneva, Switzerland.
| | - Henry E Mark
- EASL International Liver Foundation, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Quentin M Anstee
- Translational & Clinical Research Institute, Faculty of Medical Sciences, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne, UK.,Newcastle NIHR Biomedical Research Centre, Newcastle upon Tyne Hospitals NHS Trust, Newcastle upon Tyne, UK
| | - Juan Pablo Arab
- Departamento de Gastroenterologia, Escuela de Medicina, Pontificia Universidad Catolica de Chile, Santiago, Chile
| | - Rachel L Batterham
- Centre for Obesity Research, University College London and National Institute of Health Research, UCLH Biomedical Research Centre, London, UK
| | - Laurent Castera
- Department of Hepatology, Hôpital Beaujon, Université de Paris, Paris, France
| | - Helena Cortez-Pinto
- Clínica Universitária de Gastrenterologia, Laboratório de Nutrição, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de Lisboa, Lisbon, Portugal
| | - Javier Crespo
- Gastroenterology and Heptology Unit, Hospital Universitario Marqués de Valdecilla, Santander, IDIVAL, Santander, Spain
| | - Kenneth Cusi
- Division of Endocrinology, Diabetes & Metabolism, Department of Medicine, Veterans Health Administration and University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA
| | - M Ashworth Dirac
- Department of Health Metrics Sciences, Department of Family Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Sven Francque
- Department of Gastroenterology Hepatology, University Hospital Antwerp, Antwerp, Belgium.,Translational Sciences in Inflammation and Immunology TWI2N, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Antwerp, Antwerp, Belgium
| | - Jacob George
- Storr Liver Centre, Westmead Institute for Medical Research, Westmead Hospital and University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Hannes Hagström
- Department of Medicine, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Terry T-K Huang
- Center for Systems and Community Design and NYU-CUNY Prevention Research Center, Graduate School of Public Health and Health Policy, City University of New York, New York, NY, USA
| | - Mona H Ismail
- Division of Gastroenterology, Department of Internal Medicine, King Fahd Hospital of the University, College of Medicine, Imam Abdulrahman Bin Faisal University, Dammam, Saudi Arabia
| | | | - Shiv Kumar Sarin
- Department of Hepatology, Institute of Liver and Biliary Sciences, New Delhi, India
| | - Rohit Loomba
- Department of Medicine, NAFLD Research Center, La Jolla, CA, USA.,Department of Medicine, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Veronica Miller
- University of California Berkeley, School of Public Health, Forum for Collaborative Research, Washington, DC, USA
| | - Philip N Newsome
- National Institute for Health Research Birmingham Biomedical Research Centre at University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust and the University of Birmingham, Birmingham, UK
| | | | - Ponsiano Ocama
- Department of Medicine, College of Health Sciences, Makerere University, Kampala, Uganda
| | - Vlad Ratziu
- Assistance Publique-Hôpitaux de Paris, Hôpital Pitie-Salpetriere, University of Paris, Paris, France
| | - Mary Rinella
- Department of Medicine, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL, USA
| | - Diana Romero
- Department of Community Health and Social Sciences, CUNY Graduate School of Public Health and Health Policy, New York, NY, USA
| | - Manuel Romero-Gómez
- UCM Digestive Diseases, CIBEREHD and IBIS, Virgen del Rocío University Hospital, University of Seville, Seville, Spain
| | - Jörn M Schattenberg
- Metabolic Liver Research Program, I. Department of Medicine, University Medical Centre Mainz, Mainz, Germany
| | - Emmanuel A Tsochatzis
- University College London Institute for Liver and Digestive Health, Royal Free Hospital, London, UK.,Sheila Sherlock Liver Centre, Royal Free Hospital, London, UK
| | - Luca Valenti
- Department of Pathophysiology and Transplantation, Università degli Studi di Milano, Milan, Italy.,Precision Medicine, Department of Transfusion Medicine and Hematology, Fondazione IRCCS Ca' Granda Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, Milan, Italy
| | - Vincent Wai-Sun Wong
- Department of Medicine and Therapeutics, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China
| | - Yusuf Yilmaz
- Department of Gastroenterology, Marmara University School of Medicine, Istanbul, Turkey.,Liver Research Unit, Institute of Gastroenterology, Marmara University, Istanbul, Turkey
| | | | - Shira Zelber-Sagi
- University of Haifa, Faculty of Social Welfare and Health Sciences, School of Public Health, Mount Carmel, Haifa, Israel.,Department of Gastroenterology, Tel-Aviv Medical Centre, Tel-Aviv, Israel
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Mangia A, Rina MF, Canosa A, Piazzolla V, Squillante MM, Agostinacchio E, Cocomazzi G, Visaggi E, Augello N, Iannuzziello C, Falcone M, De Giorgi A, Campanozzi F. Increased Hepatitis C virus screening, diagnosis and linkage to care rates among people who use drugs through a patient-centered program from Italy. United European Gastroenterol J 2021; 9:1109-1118. [PMID: 34697911 PMCID: PMC8672087 DOI: 10.1002/ueg2.12156] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/14/2021] [Accepted: 08/13/2021] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Rates of Hepatitis C virus (HCV) testing and diagnosis are variable among people who use drugs (PWUD). In Puglia in 2018, of 871 subjects screened, 38% had HCV antibodies (HCVAb). Despite sustained virologic response at week 12 Sustained virologic response (SVR12) rates >95%, addiction centers in Italy are not allowed to prescribe direct-acting antivirals (DAA). AIM To increase testing and linkage to care a dedicated program including "ad hoc" transportation and fast-track access to care was offered to PWUD from Puglia. METHODS Over 12 months, 1,470 individuals seen at 15 Services for Dependence (SERDs) underwent screening. For HCVAb positive, a fast-track evaluation was offered at our Hepatology Unit. Patients were subsequently taken to their pharmacists to receive the prescribed DAA regimen. Treatment and adherence were supervised by SERDs physicians, SVR12 assessed at our unit. The scalability of the process was based on both, number of patients screened in our region in 2018, and number of PWUD diagnosed and treated at our center during 2018-2019. RESULTS Of 1,470 individuals screened, 634 (43.1%) tested HCVAb positive. Overall, 231 were RNA positive, 54% of whom on opioid agonist therapy (OAT) and 32% with cirrhosis. Median interval between RNA assessment and treatment start was 22 days (0-300). Patients received 12-week sofosbuvir/velpatasvir regimen without Ribavirin; in 220 patients who completed treatment, SVR12 was 98.6%. Among GT3, SVR12 was 98%. No re-infection was observed. Improvements in screening, and linkage to care were registered. CONCLUSIONS A PWUD-tailored service led to HCV care cascade improvement and high SVR12 rates. Despite history of drug addiction, social instability and logistic barriers, micro-elimination programs providing dedicated care are key drivers of success.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alessandra Mangia
- Liver UnitIRCCS “Casa Sollievo della Sofferenza”San Giovanni RotondoItaly
| | | | | | - Valeria Piazzolla
- Liver UnitIRCCS “Casa Sollievo della Sofferenza”San Giovanni RotondoItaly
| | | | | | - Giovanna Cocomazzi
- Liver UnitIRCCS “Casa Sollievo della Sofferenza”San Giovanni RotondoItaly
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Coupland H, Day C, Haber P, Pritchard-Jones J, McKee K, George J, McCaughan G. Client resistance to hepatitis C treatment initiation in opioid agonist treatment clinics in Sydney, Australia: A qualitative study. Drug Alcohol Rev 2021; 41:706-714. [PMID: 34839561 DOI: 10.1111/dar.13414] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/03/2021] [Revised: 10/18/2021] [Accepted: 11/01/2021] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Opioid agonist treatment (OAT) clinics play a key role in achieving elimination of hepatitis C virus (HCV) globally. Previous research has identified barriers to HCV treatment uptake in OAT clinics; however, most studies were conducted prior to the introduction of direct-acting antiviral treatments (DAA). It remains unclear whether progress has been made in responding to barriers and what challenges persist in this setting. METHODS Semi-structured in-depth interviews were conducted with staff (n = 20) and clients (n = 15) in two OAT clinics in Sydney, Australia. Interviews were transcribed verbatim and analysed using constant comparative methods. RESULTS Despite progress in integrating hepatitis C care in the clinics, competing priorities, concerns about side-effects, distrust of staff, health problems and difficulties accessing testing and medication persisted as key reasons why clients had not initiated treatment. Most clients preferred to postpone treatment and focus on other priorities and some highlighted lack of medical evidence for urgent treatment. Pressure on services to achieve elimination targets within set time frames was a primary driver of repeated offers of treatment by staff and the framing of clients' preferences for postponing treatment, as a barrier. DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION Current timelines for HCV elimination targets may have galvanised services into action but may have also created tensions at the coalface due to disparities between staff and clients' priorities. The involvement of peer workers and mechanisms to ensure continued follow up with clients about DAA treatments is required. Public health timelines for HCV elimination need to be informed by affected communities' priorities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Heidi Coupland
- Edith Collins Centre (Translational Research in Alcohol, Drugs and Toxicology), Sydney Local Health District, Sydney, Australia.,Drug Health Services, Royal Prince Alfred Hospital, Sydney, Australia.,Specialty of Addiction Medicine, Faculty of Medicine and Health, The University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia
| | - Carolyn Day
- Edith Collins Centre (Translational Research in Alcohol, Drugs and Toxicology), Sydney Local Health District, Sydney, Australia.,Drug Health Services, Royal Prince Alfred Hospital, Sydney, Australia.,Specialty of Addiction Medicine, Faculty of Medicine and Health, The University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia
| | - Paul Haber
- Edith Collins Centre (Translational Research in Alcohol, Drugs and Toxicology), Sydney Local Health District, Sydney, Australia.,Drug Health Services, Royal Prince Alfred Hospital, Sydney, Australia.,Specialty of Addiction Medicine, Faculty of Medicine and Health, The University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia
| | - Janice Pritchard-Jones
- W Morrow Gastroenterology and Liver Centre, Royal Prince Alfred Hospital, Sydney Local Health District, Sydney, Australia
| | - Kristen McKee
- Storr Liver Centre, Westmead Hospital, Sydney, Australia
| | - Jacob George
- Storr Liver Centre, Westmead Hospital, Sydney, Australia
| | - Geoff McCaughan
- W Morrow Gastroenterology and Liver Centre, Royal Prince Alfred Hospital, Sydney Local Health District, Sydney, Australia
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Lazarus JV, Mark HE, Sanai FM, Hashim A, Farghaly M, Alqahtani SA, Al-Awadhi S. Gulf Cooperation Council states: On the brink of HBV elimination. Liver Int 2021; 41:2805-2808. [PMID: 34562293 DOI: 10.1111/liv.15063] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/14/2021] [Accepted: 09/07/2021] [Indexed: 02/13/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Jeffrey V Lazarus
- Barcelona Institute for Global Health (ISGlobal), Hospital Clínic, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain.,University of Barcelona, Faculty of Medicine, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Henry E Mark
- EASL International Liver Foundation, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Faisal M Sanai
- Gastroenterology Unit, Department of Medicine, King Abdulaziz Medical City, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
| | | | | | - Saleh A Alqahtani
- Liver Transplant Center, King Faisal Specialist Hospital & Research Centre, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.,Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, John Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
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Gane E, de Ledinghen V, Dylla DE, Rizzardini G, Shiffman ML, Barclay ST, Calleja JL, Xue Z, Burroughs M, Gutierrez JA. Positive predictive value of sustained virologic response 4 weeks posttreatment for achieving sustained virologic response 12 weeks posttreatment in patients receiving glecaprevir/pibrentasvir in Phase 2 and 3 clinical trials. J Viral Hepat 2021; 28:1635-1642. [PMID: 34448313 PMCID: PMC9292745 DOI: 10.1111/jvh.13600] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/27/2021] [Revised: 08/12/2021] [Accepted: 08/17/2021] [Indexed: 12/26/2022]
Abstract
Sustained virologic response at posttreatment Week 12 (SVR12) is the widely accepted efficacy endpoint for direct-acting antiviral agents. Those with hepatitis C virus (HCV) are presenting younger with milder liver disease, potentially reducing need for long-term liver posttreatment monitoring. This analysis aimed to determine the positive predictive value (PPV) of SVR at posttreatment Week 4 (SVR4) for achieving SVR12 in patients with HCV, without cirrhosis or with compensated cirrhosis, receiving glecaprevir/pibrentasvir (G/P) in clinical trials. An integrated dataset from 20 Phase 2 and 3 clinical trials of G/P was evaluated in patients with 8-, 12- or 16-week treatment duration consistent with the current label (label-consistent group), and in all patients regardless of treatment duration consistency with the current label (overall group). Sensitivity analyses handled missing data either by backward imputation or were excluded. SVR4 PPV, negative predictive value (NPV), sensitivity and specificity were calculated for achieving SVR12 in both groups, and by treatment duration in the label-consistent group. SVR was defined as HCV ribonucleic acid <lower limit of quantification. The label-consistent group and overall group included 2890 and 4390 patients, respectively. PPV of SVR4 for SVR12 was >99% in both groups regardless of treatment duration. Not achieving SVR4 had 100% NPV and sensitivity for all groups. SVR4 measure had 79.5% specificity for identifying patients who did not achieve SVR12. Across 20 Phase 2/3 clinical trials of G/P, SVR4 was highly predictive of SVR12. Long-term follow-up to confirm SVR may not be necessary for certain populations of patients with HCV.
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Affiliation(s)
- Edward Gane
- Faculty of MedicineUniversity of AucklandAucklandNew Zealand
| | - Victor de Ledinghen
- Centre d’Investigation de la Fibrose HépatiqueBordeaux University HospitalPessacFrance,INSERM U1053Bordeaux UniversityBordeauxFrance
| | | | | | | | | | - Jose Luis Calleja
- Department of Gastroenterology and HepatologyHospital Universitario Puerta de HierroMadridSpain
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Draper BL, Htay H, Pedrana A, Yee WL, Howell J, Pyone Kyi K, Naing W, Sanda Aung K, Markby J, Easterbrook P, Bowring A, Aung W, Sein YY, Nwe N, Myint KT, Shilton S, Hellard M. Outcomes of the CT2 study: A 'one-stop-shop' for community-based hepatitis C testing and treatment in Yangon, Myanmar. Liver Int 2021; 41:2578-2589. [PMID: 34153155 PMCID: PMC8596916 DOI: 10.1111/liv.14983] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/25/2021] [Revised: 05/28/2021] [Accepted: 06/14/2021] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND With the advent of low-cost generic direct-acting antivirals (DAA), hepatitis C (HCV) elimination is now achievable even in low-/middle-income settings. We assessed the feasibility and effectiveness of a simplified clinical pathway using point-of-care diagnostic testing and non-specialist-led care in a decentralized, community-based setting. METHODS This feasibility study was conducted at two sites in Yangon, Myanmar: one for people who inject drugs (PWID), and the other for people with liver disease. Participants underwent on-site rapid anti-HCV testing and HCV RNA testing using GeneXpert(R) . General practitioners determined whether participants started DAA therapy immediately or required specialist evaluation. Primary outcome measures were progression through the HCV care cascade, including uptake of RNA testing and treatment, and treatment outcomes. FINDINGS All 633 participants underwent anti-HCV testing; 606 (96%) were anti-HCV positive and had HCV RNA testing. Of 606 tested, 535 (88%) were RNA positive and had pre-treatment assessments; 30 (6%) completed specialist evaluation. Of 535 RNA positive participants, 489 (91%) were eligible to initiate DAAs, 477 (98%) completed DAA therapy and 421 achieved SVR12 (92%; 421/456). Outcomes were similar by site: PWID site: 91% [146/161], and liver disease site: 93% [275/295]). Compensated cirrhotic patients were treated in the community; they achieved an SVR12 of 83% (19/23). Median time from RNA test to DAA initiation was 3 days (IQR 2-5). CONCLUSIONS Delivering a simplified, non-specialist-led HCV treatment pathway in a decentralized community setting was feasible in Yangon, Myanmar; retention in care and treatment success rates were very high. This care model could be integral in scaling up HCV services in Myanmar and other low- and middle-income settings.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bridget Louise Draper
- Disease Elimination ProgramBurnet InstituteMelbourneAustralia,School of Public Health and Preventive MedicineMonash UniversityMelbourneAustralia
| | | | - Alisa Pedrana
- Disease Elimination ProgramBurnet InstituteMelbourneAustralia,School of Public Health and Preventive MedicineMonash UniversityMelbourneAustralia,Health Services Research and ImplementationMonash PartnersMelbourneAustralia
| | | | - Jessica Howell
- Disease Elimination ProgramBurnet InstituteMelbourneAustralia,School of Public Health and Preventive MedicineMonash UniversityMelbourneAustralia,St Vincent’s Hospital MelbourneAustralia,Department of MedicineUniversity of MelbourneMelbourneAustralia
| | | | - Win Naing
- Myanmar Liver FoundationMyanmar,Yangon Specialty HospitalMyanmar
| | - Khin Sanda Aung
- National Hepatitis Control Program, Ministry of Health and SportsMyanmar
| | - Jessica Markby
- Foundation for Innovative New DiagnosticsGenevaSwitzerland
| | - Philippa Easterbrook
- Department of Global HIV, Hepatitis, and STI ProgrammesWorld Health OrganizationGenevaSwitzerland
| | - Anna Bowring
- Disease Elimination ProgramBurnet InstituteMelbourneAustralia
| | | | | | - Nwe Nwe
- Foundation for Innovative New DiagnosticsGenevaSwitzerland
| | | | | | - Margaret Hellard
- Disease Elimination ProgramBurnet InstituteMelbourneAustralia,School of Public Health and Preventive MedicineMonash UniversityMelbourneAustralia,Hepatitis Service, Department of Infectious DiseasesAlfred HospitalMelbourneAustralia,Doherty InstituteMelbourneAustralia,School of Population and Global HealthUniversity of MelbourneMelbourneAustralia
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Chan PL, Le LV, Ishikawa N, Easterbrook P. Regional progress towards hepatitis C elimination in the Western Pacific Region, 2015-2020. Glob Health Med 2021; 3:253-261. [PMID: 34782866 DOI: 10.35772/ghm.2021.01065] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/04/2021] [Revised: 07/02/2021] [Accepted: 08/03/2021] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Chronic hepatitis C (HCV) infection is a major global public health threat and in 2019 there were an estimated 58 million infected globally and 290,000 deaths. Elimination of viral hepatitis B/C as a public health threat by 2030 is defined as a 90% incidence reduction and a 65% mortality reduction. The Western Pacific region is one of the most affected regions with 10 million people living with HCV, one-fifth of the global burden. We review progress towards HCV elimination in the Western Pacific region since 2015. Key developments in the region, which comprises of 37 high-and-middle-income countries, include the following: 20 countries have national hepatitis action plans, 19 have conducted recent disease burden and investment cases, 10 have scaled-up hepatitis services at primary health care level, and in 11 countries, domestic financing including social health insurance support DAA costs. We highlight six countries' experience in navigating the path towards HCV elimination: Cambodia, China, Malaysia, Mongolia, Philippines, and Viet Nam. Future initiatives to accelerate elimination are expanding access to community-based testing using HCV point-of-care tests among at-risk and general populations; adopting decentralized and integrated HCV one-stop services at harm reduction sites, detention settings and primary care; expanding treatment to include children and adolescents; address stigma and discrimination; and ensuring sustainable financing through domestic resources to scale-up testing, treatment and prevention. The COVID-19 pandemic has a significant impact on hepatitis response across the region on community and facility-based testing, treatment initiation, monitoring and cancer screening, which is projected to delay elimination goals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Po-Lin Chan
- World Health Organization Office for the Western Pacific, Manila, Philippines
| | - Linh-Vi Le
- World Health Organization Office for the Western Pacific, Manila, Philippines
| | - Naoko Ishikawa
- World Health Organization Office for the Western Pacific, Manila, Philippines
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Lazarus JV, Herranz A, Picchio CA, Villota-Rivas M, Rodríguez A, Alonso JM, Moratinos A, Perrotta A, Tegeo E, Bibiloni F, Buti M, Vilella À. Eliminating hepatitis C on the Balearic Islands, Spain: a protocol for an intervention study to test and link people who use drugs to treatment and care. BMJ Open 2021; 11:e053394. [PMID: 34675021 PMCID: PMC8532552 DOI: 10.1136/bmjopen-2021-053394] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
INTRODUCTION The hepatitis C virus (HCV) is a highly infectious and deadly disease, affecting some 58 million people worldwide. Of the 1.13 million people living in the Balearic Islands, Spain, about 1350 individuals have untreated HCV. Of these, about 1120 (83%) are estimated to be people who use drugs (PWUD), who are one of the key at-risk groups for HCV infection globally. Carrying out micro-elimination approaches focused on this population is crucial to achieve the WHO goal of eliminating HCV by 2030. Thus, the primary objective of this study is to validate a model of care that simplifies the screening and linkage to HCV care pathways for PWUD on the Balearic Islands. METHODS AND ANALYSIS This intervention study will be implemented across 17 sites, in 4 different settings: addiction service centres (n=12), non-governmental organisation centres (n=3), a mobile methadone unit and a prison, with an estimated 3725 participants. Together with the healthcare staff at each centre, the intervention protocols will be adapted, focusing on four phases: recruitment and testing; linkage to care; treatment for those who test positive; and monitoring of sustained virological response 12 weeks after treatment and reinfection. The primary outcomes will be the number of tested and treated individuals and the secondary outcomes will include individuals lost at each step in the cascade of care. Descriptive analysis and multivariable logistic regression of the data will be undertaken. ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION The Hospital Clínic Barcelona, Spain, Ethics Committee approved this study on 18 February 2021 (HCB/2020/2018). Findings will be disseminated through peer-reviewed publications, conference presentations and social media. The results of this study could provide a model for targeting PWUD for HCV testing and treatment in the rest of Spain and in other settings, helping to achieve the WHO HCV elimination goal.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jeffrey V Lazarus
- Barcelona Institute for Global Health (ISGlobal), Hospital Clínic, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Andrea Herranz
- Barcelona Institute for Global Health (ISGlobal), Hospital Clínic, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Camila A Picchio
- Barcelona Institute for Global Health (ISGlobal), Hospital Clínic, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Marcela Villota-Rivas
- Barcelona Institute for Global Health (ISGlobal), Hospital Clínic, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Antonia Rodríguez
- Servicio médico, Centro Penitenciario de Mallorca, Palma de Mallorca, Spain
| | | | - Albert Moratinos
- Unitat de Conductes Addictives, Institut d'Afers Socials Mallorquí (IMAS), Palma de Mallorca, Spain
| | | | - Elisabet Tegeo
- Sector mèdic, Projecte Home Balears, Illes Balears, Spain
| | - Francisca Bibiloni
- Pla d'addiccions i drogodependències de les Illes Balears (PADIB), Conselleria de Salut i Consum, Govern de les Illes Balears, Spain
| | - Maria Buti
- Liver Unit, Hospital Universitari Vall d'Hebron, Barcelona, Spain
- CIBER-EHD, Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Madrid, Spain
| | - Àngels Vilella
- Department of Gastroenterology, Hospital Universitari Son Llàtzer, Palma de Mallorca, Spain
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Hüppe D, Stoehr A, Buggisch P, Mauss S, Klinker H, Teuber G, Hidde D, Lohmann K, Bondin M, Wedemeyer H. The changing characteristics of patients infected with chronic hepatitis C virus from 2014 to 2019: Real-world data from the German Hepatitis C-Registry (DHC-R). J Viral Hepat 2021; 28:1474-1483. [PMID: 34339561 DOI: 10.1111/jvh.13586] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/08/2021] [Revised: 07/13/2021] [Accepted: 07/24/2021] [Indexed: 12/26/2022]
Abstract
The number of patients diagnosed with hepatitis C virus (HCV) is markedly higher than the number initiating treatment indicating gaps in the care cascade, likely centred around reaching at-risk populations. Understanding changing characteristics of patients with HCV allows for targeted programs that increase linkage to care. We investigated changes in demographic and clinical characteristics of patients registered in the German Hepatitis C-Registry (DHC-R) from 1 January 2014 to 31 December 2019. The DHC-R is an ongoing, noninterventional, multicentre, prospective, observational cohort registry including 327 German centres. Patient characteristics were analysed over time in 7 phases for all patients completing a screening visit. Overall, 14,357 patients were enrolled. The percentage of treatment-naïve/non-cirrhotic patients increased from 34.4% in phase 1 (1 January-31 December 2014) to 68.2% in phase 7 (1 August-31 December 2019). The proportion of migrants, alcohol users, people who inject drugs, and those receiving opiate substitution therapy increased in later registry phases. Most patients (60.1%) were receiving comedication at baseline. The most prescribed comedications were drugs used to treat opioid dependence which increased from 9.2% in phase 1 to 24.0% in phase 7. The patients' mean age decreased from 52.3 years in phase 1 to 48.7 years in phase 7. From 2014 to 2019, the proportion of at-risk patients enrolling in the registry increased. To eliminate viral hepatitis as a major public health threat, a continued commitment to engaging underserved populations into the HCV care cascade is needed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dietrich Hüppe
- Gastroenterologische Gemeinschaftspraxis Herne, Herne, Germany
| | | | - Peter Buggisch
- Institut für Interdisziplinäre Medizin, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Stefan Mauss
- Centre for HIV and Hepatogastroenterology, Duesseldorf, Germany
| | - Hartwig Klinker
- Medizinische Klinik II, Universitätsklinikum Würzburg, Würzburg, Germany
| | | | - Dennis Hidde
- AbbVie Germany GmbH & Co. KG, Wiesbaden, Germany
| | | | | | - Heiner Wedemeyer
- Leberstiftungs-GmbH Deutschland, Hannover, Germany.,Klinik für Gastroenterologie, Hepatologie und Endokrinologie, Medizinische Hochschule Hannover, Hannover, Germany.,Klinik für Gastroenterologie und Hepatologie, Universitätsklinikum Essen, Universität Duisburg-Essen, Essen, Germany
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40
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Lazarus JV, Anstee QM, Hagström H, Cusi K, Cortez-Pinto H, Mark HE, Roden M, Tsochatzis EA, Wong VWS, Younossi ZM, Zelber-Sagi S, Romero-Gómez M, Schattenberg JM. Defining comprehensive models of care for NAFLD. Nat Rev Gastroenterol Hepatol 2021; 18:717-729. [PMID: 34172937 DOI: 10.1038/s41575-021-00477-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 57] [Impact Index Per Article: 19.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 06/01/2021] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is now the leading cause of chronic liver disease globally. Despite the increased demand placed on health-care systems, little attention has been given to the design and implementation of efficient and effective models of care for patients with NAFLD. In many health-care settings, no formal pathways exist and, where pathways are in place, they are often not standardized according to good practices. We systematically searched the peer-reviewed literature with the aim of identifying published examples of comprehensive models of care that answered four key questions: what services are provided? Where are they provided? Who is offering them? How are they coordinated and integrated within health-care systems? We identified seven models of care and synthesized the findings into eight recommendations nested within the 'what, where, who and how' of care models. These recommendations, aimed at policy-makers and practitioners designing and implementing models of care, can help to address the increasing need for the provision of good practice care for patients with NAFLD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jeffrey V Lazarus
- Barcelona Institute for Global Health (ISGlobal), Hospital Clínic, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain. .,EASL International Liver Foundation, Geneva, Switzerland.
| | - Quentin M Anstee
- Translational & Clinical Research Institute, Faculty of Medical Sciences, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne, United Kingdom.,The Liver Unit & NIHR Biomedical Research Centre, The Newcastle upon Tyne Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Newcastle upon Tyne, United Kingdom
| | | | - Kenneth Cusi
- Division of Endocrinology, Diabetes & Metabolism, Department of Medicine, Veterans Health Administration and University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, United States
| | - Helena Cortez-Pinto
- Clínica Universitária de Gastrenterologia, Laboratório de Nutrição, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de Lisboa, Lisbon, Portugal
| | - Henry E Mark
- EASL International Liver Foundation, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Michael Roden
- Department of Endocrinology and Diabetology, Medical Faculty and University Hospital, Heinrich Heine University, Düsseldorf, Germany.,Institute for Clinical Diabetology, German Diabetes Center (DDZ), Leibniz Center for Diabetes Research at Heinrich-Heine University, Düsseldorf, Germany.,German Center for Diabetes Research, Partner Düsseldorf, Düsseldorf, Germany
| | - Emmanuel A Tsochatzis
- University College London Institute for Liver and Digestive Health, Royal Free Hospital, London, United Kingdom.,Sheila Sherlock Liver Centre, Royal Free Hospital, London, United Kingdom
| | - Vincent Wai-Sun Wong
- Department of Medicine and Therapeutics, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, Hong Kong
| | - Zobair M Younossi
- Center for Liver Diseases, Department of Medicine, Inova Fairfax Medical Campus, Falls Church, VA, United States
| | - Shira Zelber-Sagi
- University of Haifa, Faculty of Social Welfare and Health Sciences, School of Public Health, Mount Carmel, Haifa, Israel.,Department of Gastroenterology, Tel-Aviv Medical Centre, Tel-Aviv, Israel
| | - Manuel Romero-Gómez
- UCM Digestive Diseases, CIBEREHD and IBIS, Virgen del Rocío University Hospital, University of Seville, Seville, Spain.
| | - Jörn M Schattenberg
- Metabolic Liver Research Program, I. Department of Medicine, University Medical Centre Mainz, Mainz, Germany.
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41
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Ryan P, Valencia J, Cuevas G, Torres-Macho J, Troya J, Pueyo Á, José Muñoz-Gómez M, Muñoz-Rivas N, Vázquez-Morón S, Martinez I, Lazarus JV, Resino S. Detection of active hepatitis C in a single visit and linkage to care among marginalized people using a mobile unit in Madrid, Spain. THE INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF DRUG POLICY 2021; 96:103424. [PMID: 34429222 DOI: 10.1016/j.drugpo.2021.103424] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/05/2021] [Revised: 07/22/2021] [Accepted: 08/11/2021] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The burden of hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection among marginalized people in Spain is high, despite the fact that HCV prevalence has decreased in recent years. We aimed to assess the effectiveness of a simplified point-of-care (PoC) model for screening for active HCV infection via a mobile unit and subsequent linkage to care with the assistance of navigators. METHODS We carried out a prospective study on 2001 participants from Madrid, Spain. A nurse and a navigator/educator screened for hepatitis C in a mobile unit, using the OraQuick HCV Rapid Antibody Test and Xpert HCV VL Fingerstick assay. Participants with active HCV were referred to the hospital the same day with a navigator for evaluation and treatment of HCV. RESULTS Overall, 1621 (81%) participants had not been exposed to HCV, 380 (18.9%) were positive for HCV antibodies, and 136 (6.8%) had active hepatitis C. Among the latter, 134 (98.5%) received the HCV screening results, 133 (97.8%) had an appointment at the hospital, 126 (92.8%) were seen by a physician once they were at the hospital, and 105 (77.2%) started HCV treatment. Being over 50 years old and a person who uses drugs, particularly people who inject drugs (PWID), was directly associated with active hepatitis C (p<0.05). PWID were the only patients with HCV reinfection (4.3% in people without recent injecting drug use and 5.9% in people with recent injecting drug use). Among PWID, no income and daily alcohol intake were also directly associated with active hepatitis C. People with recent injecting drug use showed the lowest rates of attendance at the hospital (91.8%) and starting HCV treatment (70.4%). CONCLUSION HCV screening using a two-step PoC-based strategy and its linkage to care was extremely efficient for identifying and treating marginalized people with active hepatitis C, thanks to the use of a mobile unit with personnel and technical equipment, an interdisciplinary team, and collaboration between institutions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pablo Ryan
- University Hospital Infanta Leonor, Madrid, Spain; Complutense University of Madrid (UCM), Madrid, Spain; Gregorio Marañón Health Research Institute (IiSGM), Madrid, Spain
| | - Jorge Valencia
- University Hospital Infanta Leonor, Madrid, Spain; Harm Reduction Unit "SMASD", Madrid, Spain
| | | | - Juan Torres-Macho
- University Hospital Infanta Leonor, Madrid, Spain; Complutense University of Madrid (UCM), Madrid, Spain
| | - Jesús Troya
- University Hospital Infanta Leonor, Madrid, Spain
| | - Ángel Pueyo
- Foundation for Biomedical Research and Innovation of University Hospital Infanta Leonor and University Hospital Southeast, Madrid, Spain; Heath Science PhD Program. UCAM Universidad Católica San Antonio de Murcia. 30107 Guadalupe de Maciascoque, Murcia, Spain
| | - María José Muñoz-Gómez
- Viral Infection and Immunity Unit, National Centre for Microbiology, Health Institute Carlos III, Majadahonda, Madrid, Spain
| | | | - Sonia Vázquez-Morón
- Viral Infection and Immunity Unit, National Centre for Microbiology, Health Institute Carlos III, Majadahonda, Madrid, Spain
| | - Isidoro Martinez
- Viral Infection and Immunity Unit, National Centre for Microbiology, Health Institute Carlos III, Majadahonda, Madrid, Spain
| | - Jeffrey V Lazarus
- Barcelona Institute for Global Health (ISGlobal), Hospital Clinic, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Salvador Resino
- Viral Infection and Immunity Unit, National Centre for Microbiology, Health Institute Carlos III, Majadahonda, Madrid, Spain.
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42
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Hepatitis C treatment at a Swedish needle exchange program, a successful model of care - the ACTIONNE study. THE INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF DRUG POLICY 2021; 96:103407. [PMID: 34391622 DOI: 10.1016/j.drugpo.2021.103407] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/25/2021] [Revised: 07/26/2021] [Accepted: 07/29/2021] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND To engage people who inject drugs (PWID) in HCV care, innovative models of care are urgently needed. A needle exchange program (NEP) could serve as an ideal platform for comprehensive HCV management including post treatment follow up. METHODS 50 actively injecting patients at the Malmö Needle exchange program (MNEP) were consecutively enrolled between April 2018 and May 2019. All patients received a fixed-dose combination of once-daily glecaprevir/pibrentasvir for 8 or 12 weeks. Patients were monitored weekly during treatment and data on adherence and side effects was recorded. The primary endpoint was SVR12. Adherence to treatment was the secondary endpoint. RESULTS 47/50 (94%) patients completed treatment. 45/50 were HCV negative at 12 weeks post treatment giving an SVR12 rate per ITT of 90% and an SVR12 rate per protocol of 96%. One patient showed reinfection 12 weeks post treatment and one patient was lost to follow up and did not produce an SVR12 result. The mean adherence per week, according to pill count, was 98%. CONCLUSION Our study shows that the NEP can be a useful tool for engaging actively injecting PWID in HCV management and that SVR rates, comparable to those in non-PWID settings, can be achieved.
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Smookler D, Vanderhoff A, Biondi MJ, Valencia J, Ryan P, Karkada J, Hong R, Sattar I, Mandel E, Gjevori M, Casey J, Fletcher D, Shah H, Hansen BE, Capraru C, Janssen HLA, Lazarus JV, Feld JJ. Reducing Read Time of Point-of-Care Test Does Not Affect Detection of Hepatitis C Virus and Reduces Need for Reflex RNA. Clin Gastroenterol Hepatol 2021; 19:1451-1458.e4. [PMID: 32763480 DOI: 10.1016/j.cgh.2020.07.058] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/28/2020] [Revised: 07/28/2020] [Accepted: 07/29/2020] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND & AIMS Global elimination of hepatitis C virus (HCV) will require increases in diagnosis. Point of care (POC) tests that detect antibodies against HCV can be useful for testing large and difficult to reach populations. The most accurate POC test requires a 20 min read time to identify antibody-positive samples. We investigated whether viremic patients could be identified using a shorter read time, to increase efficiency and reduce the need for reflex tests (a follow-up test for HCV RNA on the same specimen to confirm viremia). METHODS Patients with past or current HCV infections provided samples at 2 clinics in Canada for evaluation by the OraQuick HCV Rapid antibody POC test. A community HCV-screening program in Madrid, Spain (real-world cohort) invited people to be tested for HCV with the same OraQuick test. Patients provided samples of whole blood, via finger prick. Fingerprick samples were tested immediately after collection. In the clinic cohort, photographs of the developing test were taken at 15 second intervals, and blinded readers recorded the time to positivity. In the real-world cohort, readers recorded the OraQuick result at 5 minutes, and each minute after, up to 10 minutes, and then again at 20 minutes; viremia was then evaluated using a POC HCV RNA test (GeneXpert HCV Viral Load Assay). Sera from viremic and non-viremic clinic patients were used to quantify antibody titers to investigate the relationship between the time of band appearance and antibody concentration. Fisher's exact test and exact logistic regression were used to determine factors associated with a positive result at 5 minutes. RESULTS Blood from all viremic patients produced a positive result in the antibody POC test by 5 min. Median time to a positive result for 171 viremic patients was 2.6 min (range, 1.8-4.6 min), vs 4.1 min (range, 2.3-14.4 min) for 108 patients with resolved infection (P < .001). The 5-min threshold identified all viremic cases among 176 HCV antibody-positive patients in the real-world cohort, confirmed by testing for HCV RNA. In the pooled cohorts, antibody positivity at 5 min identified viremic patients with 100% sensitivity (95% CI, 98.4%-100%); the negative predictive value was 100% (95% CI, 94.9%-100%). The positive predictive value at 5 min was 62.0% (95% CI, 56.7%-67.0%) and therefore insufficient alone to detect viremia; an HCV RNA test would still be necessary to confirm active infection. CONCLUSIONS The wait time for the OraQuick HCV Rapid antibody POC blood test can be reduced from 20 min to 5 min and continue to reliably identify patients with HCV infection. Shortening the test time could increase high-throughput screening, reduce loss to follow up, and reduce the need for reflex HCV RNA testing.
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Affiliation(s)
- David Smookler
- Viral Hepatitis Care Network (VIRCAN), Toronto, Ontario, Canada; Toronto Centre for Liver Disease, University Health Network, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Aaron Vanderhoff
- Viral Hepatitis Care Network (VIRCAN), Toronto, Ontario, Canada; Toronto Centre for Liver Disease, University Health Network, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Mia J Biondi
- Viral Hepatitis Care Network (VIRCAN), Toronto, Ontario, Canada; Toronto Centre for Liver Disease, University Health Network, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Jorge Valencia
- Harm Reduction Unit (SMASD), Subdireccion General de Adicciones, Madrid, Spain
| | - Pablo Ryan
- Internal Medicine/HIV Unit, Infanta Leonor Hospital, Madrid, Spain
| | - Joel Karkada
- Viral Hepatitis Care Network (VIRCAN), Toronto, Ontario, Canada; Toronto Centre for Liver Disease, University Health Network, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Rachel Hong
- Viral Hepatitis Care Network (VIRCAN), Toronto, Ontario, Canada; Toronto Centre for Liver Disease, University Health Network, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Izza Sattar
- Viral Hepatitis Care Network (VIRCAN), Toronto, Ontario, Canada; Toronto Centre for Liver Disease, University Health Network, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Erin Mandel
- Viral Hepatitis Care Network (VIRCAN), Toronto, Ontario, Canada; Toronto Centre for Liver Disease, University Health Network, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Martina Gjevori
- Viral Hepatitis Care Network (VIRCAN), Toronto, Ontario, Canada; Toronto Centre for Liver Disease, University Health Network, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Julia Casey
- Toronto Centre for Liver Disease, University Health Network, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | | | - Hemant Shah
- Viral Hepatitis Care Network (VIRCAN), Toronto, Ontario, Canada; Toronto Centre for Liver Disease, University Health Network, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Bettina E Hansen
- Viral Hepatitis Care Network (VIRCAN), Toronto, Ontario, Canada; Toronto Centre for Liver Disease, University Health Network, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada; Institute of Health, Policy, Management and Evaluation, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Camelia Capraru
- Viral Hepatitis Care Network (VIRCAN), Toronto, Ontario, Canada; Toronto Centre for Liver Disease, University Health Network, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Harry L A Janssen
- Viral Hepatitis Care Network (VIRCAN), Toronto, Ontario, Canada; Toronto Centre for Liver Disease, University Health Network, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | | | - Jordan J Feld
- Viral Hepatitis Care Network (VIRCAN), Toronto, Ontario, Canada; Toronto Centre for Liver Disease, University Health Network, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
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Mohamed R, Cordie A, Lazarus JV, Esmat G. Micro-elimination of hepatitis C among people living with HIV in Egypt. Liver Int 2021; 41:1445-1447. [PMID: 34139062 DOI: 10.1111/liv.14974] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/19/2021] [Accepted: 05/20/2021] [Indexed: 02/13/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Rahma Mohamed
- Endemic Medicine Department, Cairo University Hospitals, Cairo, Egypt.,Kasr Al-Aini HIV and Viral Hepatitis Fighting Group, Cairo University Hospitals, Cairo, Egypt
| | - Ahmed Cordie
- Endemic Medicine Department, Cairo University Hospitals, Cairo, Egypt.,Kasr Al-Aini HIV and Viral Hepatitis Fighting Group, Cairo University Hospitals, Cairo, Egypt
| | - Jeffrey V Lazarus
- Barcelona Institute for Global Health (ISGlobal), Hospital Clínic, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Gamal Esmat
- Endemic Medicine Department, Cairo University Hospitals, Cairo, Egypt
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A H, L M, Am J, M M, Gp A, S V. Community-Based Assessment and Treatment of Hepatitis C Virus-Related Liver Disease, Injecting Drug and Alcohol Use Amongst People Who Are Homeless: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. THE INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF DRUG POLICY 2021; 96:103342. [PMID: 34210551 DOI: 10.1016/j.drugpo.2021.103342] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/06/2021] [Revised: 05/19/2021] [Accepted: 06/02/2021] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND/AIMS We performed a systematic review and meta-analysis addressing community-based assessment and treatment of hepatitis C virus (HCV)-related liver disease, injecting drug use (IDU) and alcohol use amongst people who are homeless (PWAH). METHODS Using systematic review methodology, databases were searched (MEDLINE/ EMBASE/CINAHL) for studies combining PWAH, HCV-related liver disease and community assessment until December 2019. Studies with a sample size ≥ 30, with PWAH constituting at least 30% of the cohort were included and a quality assessment performed. Pooled estimates of key indicators were analysed using meta-analysis. RESULTS We identified 39 studies (n = 13,918), 37 categorised as poor quality (Newcastle-Ottawa Scale). Prevalence of homelessness ranged between 30%-100% (37 studies). Eight studies provided all of the following: HCV screening, alcohol/substance use/liver fibrosis assessment and HCV treatment. No study provided interventions for alcohol use, with two providing opioid substitution treatment. Alcohol use prevalence (24 studies) was 4%-97%, being 59% (95% CI 20%-92%) in four studies that included only PWAH. Recent IDU prevalence (16 studies) was 7%-73%, being 21% (95% CI 17%-26%) in four studies that included only PWAH. HCV seroprevalence (25 studies) was 2.5% - 58%; in 13 studies that included only PWAH, this was 20% (95% CI 12%-30%). Prevalence of F4 fibrosis (nine studies) was 6%-28%, being 7% and 16% in two studies that included only PWAH. Direct acting antiviral-based intention-to-treat sustained virological response (SVR) rates (five studies) were 82%-92%, being 92% in the one study that included only PWAH. In the only two randomised controlled trials (RCT) identified, community-based interventions (mental health/peer mentor) significantly increased linkage to care (p = 0.04), HCV treatment (p = 0.005) and SVR rates (p = 0.018). CONCLUSION The burden from alcohol/IDU and HCV, and consequently liver disease in PWAH needs addressing. RCT trials assessing community-based interventions to improve liver health in PWAH are needed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hashim A
- Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, University Hospitals Sussex NHS Foundation Trust, Brighton, United Kingdom; Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Brighton and Sussex Medical School, Brighton, United Kingdom
| | - Macken L
- Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, University Hospitals Sussex NHS Foundation Trust, Brighton, United Kingdom; Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Brighton and Sussex Medical School, Brighton, United Kingdom
| | - Jones Am
- Sussex Partnership Foundation Trust, Hove, United Kingdom
| | - McGeer M
- Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, University Hospitals Sussex NHS Foundation Trust, Brighton, United Kingdom; Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Brighton and Sussex Medical School, Brighton, United Kingdom
| | - Aithal Gp
- NIHR Nottingham Biomedical Research Centre, Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust and the University of Nottingham, Nottingham, United Kingdom; Nottingham Digestive Diseases Centre, School of Medicine, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, United Kingdom
| | - Verma S
- Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, University Hospitals Sussex NHS Foundation Trust, Brighton, United Kingdom; Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Brighton and Sussex Medical School, Brighton, United Kingdom.
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46
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Piazzolla AV, Paroni G, Bazzocchi F, Cassese M, Cisternino A, Ciuffreda L, Gorgoglione F, Gorgoglione L, Palazzo V, Sciannamè N, Taurchini M, Vaira P, Cocomazzi G, Squillante MM, Aucella F, Cascavilla N, De Cosmo S, Fania M, Greco A, Laborante A, Leone M, Maiello E, Salvatori M, Di Mauro L, Mangia A. High Rates of Hidden HCV Infections among Hospitalized Patients Aged 55-85. Pathogens 2021; 10:695. [PMID: 34205096 PMCID: PMC8227146 DOI: 10.3390/pathogens10060695] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/07/2021] [Revised: 05/31/2021] [Accepted: 06/01/2021] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND AIMS The WHO has solicited all countries to eliminate HCV by 2030. The Italian government started routine screening for HCV infection in January 2021, initially targeting subjects born between 1969 and 1989. With the aim of achieving micro-elimination, we designed a hospital-wide project focusing on inpatients born from 1935 to 1985 and conducted it in our institution. METHOD All inpatients aged 35 to 85, admitted from 10 February 2020 to 9 February 2021 for many different diseases and conditions underwent HCV antibody (HCVAb) testing by third-generation ELISA. When positive, reflex HCV RNA testing and genotyping were performed. Clinical history, fibrosis diagnosis, laboratory data and concomitant medications were available for all. RESULTS The HCV screening rate of inpatients was 100%. In total, 11,748 participants were enrolled, of whom 53.50% were male. The HCVAb positivity rate was 3.03%. The HCVAb rate increased with age and was higher for patients born between 1935 and 1944 (4.81%). The rate of HCV RNA positivity was 0.97%. The vast majority (80.70%) of HCV RNA-positive participants were 55 or older; in about 40% of cases, HCV RNA-positive patients were unaware of their infection. Although 16 patients died after HCV chronic infection diagnosis (two due COVID-19) or HCV treatment prescription (one due to COVID-19), 74.56% of patient HCV diagnoses were linked to HCV treatment, despite their co-morbidities. All patients older than 65 who died had an active HCV infection. CONCLUSION The present study revealed a rate of active HCV infections among inpatients lower than what has been reported in the past in the general population; this appears to be a result of the widespread use of pangenotypic direct-acting antiviral agents (DAAs). The overall rate of active infection was lower than the rate observed in the 1935-1954 cohort. The high rate of inpatients unaware of HCV infections and the high number of deaths among subjects with an active HCV infection born from 1935 to 1954, suggest that, at least in southern Italy, targeted screening of this birth cohort may be required to reduce the number of undiagnosed cases and hidden infections.
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Affiliation(s)
- Annarita Valeria Piazzolla
- Liver Unit, IRCCS “Casa Sollievo della Sofferenza”, 71013 San Giovanni Rotondo, Italy; (A.V.P.); (G.C.); (M.M.S.)
| | - Giulia Paroni
- Blood Bank, IRCCS “Casa Sollievo della Sofferenza”, 71013 San Giovanni Rotondo, Italy; (G.P.); (L.D.M.)
| | - Francesca Bazzocchi
- Abdominal Surgery, IRCCS “Casa Sollievo della Sofferenza”, 71013 San Giovanni Rotondo, Italy;
| | - Mauro Cassese
- Cardiosurgery, IRCCS “Casa Sollievo della Sofferenza”, 71013 San Giovanni Rotondo, Italy;
| | - Antonio Cisternino
- Urology, IRCCS “Casa Sollievo della Sofferenza”, 71013 San Giovanni Rotondo, Italy;
| | - Luigi Ciuffreda
- Breast Surgery, IRCCS “Casa Sollievo della Sofferenza”, 71013 San Giovanni Rotondo, Italy;
| | - Franco Gorgoglione
- Orthopedics, IRCCS “Casa Sollievo della Sofferenza”, 71013 San Giovanni Rotondo, Italy;
| | - Leonardo Gorgoglione
- Neurosurgery, IRCCS “Casa Sollievo della Sofferenza”, 71013 San Giovanni Rotondo, Italy;
| | - Vincenzo Palazzo
- Vascular Surgery, IRCCS “Casa Sollievo della Sofferenza”, 71013 San Giovanni Rotondo, Italy;
| | - Natale Sciannamè
- Gynaecology, IRCCS “Casa Sollievo della Sofferenza”, 71013 San Giovanni Rotondo, Italy;
| | - Marco Taurchini
- Thoracic Surgery, IRCCS “Casa Sollievo della Sofferenza”, 71013 San Giovanni Rotondo, Italy;
| | - Pasquale Vaira
- Intensive Care, IRCCS “Casa Sollievo della Sofferenza”, 71013 San Giovanni Rotondo, Italy;
| | - Giovanna Cocomazzi
- Liver Unit, IRCCS “Casa Sollievo della Sofferenza”, 71013 San Giovanni Rotondo, Italy; (A.V.P.); (G.C.); (M.M.S.)
| | - Maria Maddalena Squillante
- Liver Unit, IRCCS “Casa Sollievo della Sofferenza”, 71013 San Giovanni Rotondo, Italy; (A.V.P.); (G.C.); (M.M.S.)
| | - Filippo Aucella
- Nephrology, IRCCS “Casa Sollievo della Sofferenza”, 71013 San Giovanni Rotondo, Italy;
| | - Nicola Cascavilla
- Hematology, IRCCS “Casa Sollievo della Sofferenza”, 71013 San Giovanni Rotondo, Italy;
| | - Salvatore De Cosmo
- Internal Medicine, IRCCS “Casa Sollievo della Sofferenza”, 71013 San Giovanni Rotondo, Italy;
| | - Michelantonio Fania
- Dermatology, IRCCS “Casa Sollievo della Sofferenza”, 71013 San Giovanni Rotondo, Italy;
| | - Antonio Greco
- Geriatrics, IRCCS “Casa Sollievo della Sofferenza”, 71013 San Giovanni Rotondo, Italy;
| | - Antonio Laborante
- Oftalmology, IRCCS “Casa Sollievo della Sofferenza”, 71013 San Giovanni Rotondo, Italy;
| | - Maurizio Leone
- Neurology, IRCCS “Casa Sollievo della Sofferenza”, 71013 San Giovanni Rotondo, Italy;
| | - Evaristo Maiello
- Oncology, IRCCS “Casa Sollievo della Sofferenza”, 71013 San Giovanni Rotondo, Italy;
| | - Mauro Salvatori
- Cardiology, IRCCS “Casa Sollievo della Sofferenza”, 71013 San Giovanni Rotondo, Italy;
| | - Lazzaro Di Mauro
- Blood Bank, IRCCS “Casa Sollievo della Sofferenza”, 71013 San Giovanni Rotondo, Italy; (G.P.); (L.D.M.)
| | - Alessandra Mangia
- Liver Unit, IRCCS “Casa Sollievo della Sofferenza”, 71013 San Giovanni Rotondo, Italy; (A.V.P.); (G.C.); (M.M.S.)
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Walker S, Wallace J, Latham N, Saich F, Pedrana A, Hellard M, Treloar C, Marukutira T, Higgs P, Doyle J, Stoové M. "It's time!": A qualitative exploration of the acceptability of hepatitis C notification systems to help eliminate hepatitis C. THE INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF DRUG POLICY 2021; 97:103280. [PMID: 34058670 DOI: 10.1016/j.drugpo.2021.103280] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/22/2021] [Revised: 04/20/2021] [Accepted: 04/21/2021] [Indexed: 01/28/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND In Australia, the unrestricted and subsidised availability of direct-acting antivirals for people living with hepatitis C has made the elimination of hepatitis C possible. Recent declining treatment uptake, however, may jeopardise the attainment of this goal. Notification data already exist in many jurisdictions but are presently under-utilised. Despite growing interest in the potential use of data to link people diagnosed with hepatitis C to treatment services, little evidence exists on the acceptability and feasibility of this approach. Our study aimed to address this gap and guide future strategies to enhance treatment uptake. METHODS Twenty-seven people with lived experience of injecting drug use and/or hepatitis C participated in two focus groups exploring views on implementing a system of hepatitis C notification follow-up in Australia, that would direct people to treatment and care. Additionally, qualitative interviews were conducted with 20 key informants to examine the ethical, logistical, and regulatory implications of implementation. Data were thematically analysed using the Theoretical Framework of Acceptability - which has been used to assess the acceptability of interventions from the perspectives of intervention deliverers and recipients. RESULTS While there were clear reservations, there was consensus that the potential benefits of using notification data to contact people with hepatitis C, outweigh harms. The method of contact (including by whom and how), whether follow-up should include recent versus historical diagnoses, and if record linkage should be used to enhance follow-up were important considerations. Ethical and logistical concerns were raised about the risk that such an approach could exacerbate stigma and discrimination. CONCLUSION Findings highlight potentially significant benefits of using notifications data to increase access to hepatitis C treatment, a novel approach that can contribute to hepatitis C elimination efforts and prevent hepatitis C-related morbidity and mortality.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shelley Walker
- Burnet Institute, Behaviours and Health Risks Program, 85 Commercial Road, GPO Box 2284, Melbourne, Victoria, 3004, Australia.
| | - Jack Wallace
- Burnet Institute, Behaviours and Health Risks Program, 85 Commercial Road, GPO Box 2284, Melbourne, Victoria, 3004, Australia
| | - Ned Latham
- Burnet Institute, Behaviours and Health Risks Program, 85 Commercial Road, GPO Box 2284, Melbourne, Victoria, 3004, Australia
| | - Freya Saich
- Burnet Institute, Behaviours and Health Risks Program, 85 Commercial Road, GPO Box 2284, Melbourne, Victoria, 3004, Australia
| | - Alisa Pedrana
- Burnet Institute, Behaviours and Health Risks Program, 85 Commercial Road, GPO Box 2284, Melbourne, Victoria, 3004, Australia; School of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, Monash University, 553St Kilda Road, Melbourne, Victoria, 3004, Australia
| | - Margaret Hellard
- Burnet Institute, Behaviours and Health Risks Program, 85 Commercial Road, GPO Box 2284, Melbourne, Victoria, 3004, Australia; School of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, Monash University, 553St Kilda Road, Melbourne, Victoria, 3004, Australia; Department of Infectious Diseases, The Alfred and Monash University, Level 2, Burnet Institute, 85 Commercial Road, Melbourne, Victoria, 3004, Australia; Doherty Institute and School of Population and Global Health, University of Melbourne, 207 Bouverie St, Carlton, Victoria, 3053, Australia
| | - Carla Treloar
- Centre for Social Research in Health, John Goodsell Building, University of New South Wales (NSW), Sydney, NSW, 2052, Australia
| | - Tafireyi Marukutira
- Burnet Institute, Behaviours and Health Risks Program, 85 Commercial Road, GPO Box 2284, Melbourne, Victoria, 3004, Australia
| | - Peter Higgs
- Burnet Institute, Behaviours and Health Risks Program, 85 Commercial Road, GPO Box 2284, Melbourne, Victoria, 3004, Australia; Department of Public Health, La Trobe University, Plenty Rd and Kingsbury Drive, Bundoora, Victoria, 3086, Australia
| | - Joseph Doyle
- Burnet Institute, Behaviours and Health Risks Program, 85 Commercial Road, GPO Box 2284, Melbourne, Victoria, 3004, Australia; Department of Infectious Diseases, The Alfred and Monash University, Level 2, Burnet Institute, 85 Commercial Road, Melbourne, Victoria, 3004, Australia
| | - Mark Stoové
- Burnet Institute, Behaviours and Health Risks Program, 85 Commercial Road, GPO Box 2284, Melbourne, Victoria, 3004, Australia; School of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, Monash University, 553St Kilda Road, Melbourne, Victoria, 3004, Australia
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Telemedicine and decentralized hepatitis C treatment as a strategy to enhance retention in care among people attending drug treatment centres. THE INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF DRUG POLICY 2021; 94:103235. [PMID: 33838399 DOI: 10.1016/j.drugpo.2021.103235] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/07/2020] [Revised: 03/08/2021] [Accepted: 03/11/2021] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND People attending drug treatment centres have a high burden of hepatitis C virus (HCV) and face barriers to diagnosis and treatment. Dried blood spot (DBS) testing has been proposed to simplify diagnosis, but many patients remain untreated. In this retrospective study, we evaluated the reasons for non-retention in care in an intervention using on-site DBS testing and the effect of telemedicine and decentralized care compared to standard of care among people attending drug treatment centres who were lost to follow-up. METHODS In a first phase, retention in care, adherence to treatment, and predictive factors in the DBS testing program of patients in drug treatment centres were analyzed and compared to a cohort of patients treated at the hospital outpatient clinic. Subsequently, in a second phase we evaluated in patients lost to follow-up from drug treatment centres the efficacy of one-step testing and telemedicine linked to a decentralized dispensation of HCV treatment or standard of care. RESULTS Among 512 patients attending drug treatment centres, 467 (91.2%) agreed to be tested and 53.4% (237 patients/444 valid tests) tested positive (46 ± 9 years, 87.3% male) for HCV antibodies. After excluding patients negative for RNA or under surveillance, 178 patients were scheduled to meet with a specialist. Overall, 44 patients did not attend and 25 did not complete the pre-treatment evaluation. The only factor associated with retention in care was patient's knowledge of HCV infection. Treated patients attending drug treatment centres (n = 68) compared to the hospital outpatient clinic cohort (n = 135) had lower rates of treatment adherence. Among the patients who attended drug treatment centres that were lost to follow-up (n = 69), the proportion of patients who completed the program was significantly higher among those assisted by telemedicine than by standard of care (62.5% vs. 24.3%, p = 0.002). CONCLUSION Although there was a high participation rate in a DBS testing program in drug treatment centres, non-retention in care is a challenge. Importantly, telemedicine linked to a decentralized dispensation of HCV treatment re-engages patients and may be effective for HCV microelimination.
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Hepatitis C standards of care: A review of good practices since the advent of direct-acting antiviral therapy. Clin Res Hepatol Gastroenterol 2021; 45:101564. [PMID: 33740477 DOI: 10.1016/j.clinre.2020.11.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/21/2020] [Accepted: 11/02/2020] [Indexed: 02/04/2023]
Abstract
Significant steps must be taken to reduce the global incidence and prevalence of hepatitis C virus (HCV) and mortality from HCV infection to achieve the WHO goal of eliminating viral hepatitis as a public health threat by 2030. Proper epidemiological surveillance of the full continuum of care is essential for monitoring progress and identifying gaps that need to be addressed. The tools required for elimination have largely been established, and the issue at hand is more how they should best be implemented in different settings around the world. Documenting good practices allows for knowledge exchange to prevent transmission and improve health outcomes for people with HCV. This review found 13 well documented HCV good practices that have become the standard of care or that should become the standard of care as soon as possible. In 2013, highly effective direct-acting antiviral therapy became available, which has cure rates of over 95%. Together with this new therapy, evidence-based good practices can help countries eliminate viral hepatitis C.
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Yang N, Muir A. Coordination, Cost, and Changing Epidemiology-Considerations in the Hepatitis C Care Cascade. Hepatol Commun 2021; 5:355-357. [PMID: 33681671 PMCID: PMC7917277 DOI: 10.1002/hep4.1667] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/29/2020] [Revised: 11/28/2020] [Accepted: 12/07/2020] [Indexed: 01/26/2023] Open
Abstract
This editorial reviews two articles in hepatology communications addressing challenges in the hepatitis C care cascade.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nancy Yang
- Duke University School of MedicineDurhamNCUSA
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