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https://observatorio.fm.usp.br/handle/OPI/34025
Title: | How are HCV-infected patients being identified in Brazil: a multicenter study |
Authors: | PORTARI-FILHO, Luiz H.; ALVARES-DA-SILVA, Mario R.; GONZALEZ, Aline; FERREIRA, Adalgisa P.; VILLELA-NOGUEIRA, Cristiane A.; MENDES-CORREA, Maria C.; LIMA, Jose M.; LOPES, Edmundo P.; BRANDAO, Carlos E.; IVANTES, Claudia; LYRA, Andre; LINDENBERG, Andreia; FERRAZ, Maria L. |
Citation: | BRAZILIAN JOURNAL OF INFECTIOUS DISEASES, v.23, n.1, p.34-39, 2019 |
Abstract: | Background: Hepatitis C is an important health problem. In Brazil, 1-2 million people are infected. Despite this expressive number, and the availability of very successful treatment, many patients remained undiagnosed mainly because of the asymptomatic nature of the infection. Objectives: To describe epidemiological characteristics of HCV-infected patients seen at referral centers in Brazil, the source of referral, and the time spanned to reach a reference center, in order to improve the identification of undiagnosed patients. Methods: Multicenter observational, cross-sectional study carried out in 15 centers of Brazil, between January/2016 and June/2017. Data of patients with a confirmed diagnosis (anti-HCV and HCV-RNA) were collected by interview using standard questionnaires and by review of charts. Results: Two thousand patients were included; 55.1% were male, mean age 58 +/- 11 years. Only 14.9% had higher education and 84.2% received up to five monthly minimum Brazilian wages (approximately US$260.00/month). The time between diagnosis and beginning of follow-up was 22.9 months. The most common reasons for testing were check-up (33.2%) and blood donation (19%). General practitioners diagnosed most of the patients (30.1%). Fibrosis stage was mainly evaluated by liver biopsy (61.5%) and 31.3% of the patients were cirrhotic at diagnosis. Conclusions: This multicenter Brazilian study showed that the mean time to reach a referral center for treatment was almost two years. Primary care physicians diagnoses most hepatitis C cases in the country. Population campaigns and medical education should be encouraged to intensify screening of asymptomatic individuals, considering the efficiency of check-ups in identifying new patients. (C) 2019 Sociedade Brasileira de Infectologia. |
Appears in Collections: | Artigos e Materiais de Revistas Científicas - FM/MIP Artigos e Materiais de Revistas Científicas - HC/ICHC Artigos e Materiais de Revistas Científicas - LIM/52 Artigos e Materiais de Revistas Científicas - ODS/03 |
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