TY - JOUR
T1 - Genotype Distribution and Characteristics of Chronic Hepatitis C Infection in Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, and Ukraine
T2 - The RESPOND-C Study
AU - Jančorienė, Ligita
AU - Rozentāle, Baiba
AU - Tolmane, Ieva
AU - Jēruma, Agita
AU - Salupere, Riina
AU - Buivydienė, Arida
AU - Valantinas, Jonas
AU - Kupčinskas, Limas
AU - Šumskienė, Jolanta
AU - Čiupkevičienė, Eglė
AU - Ambrozaitis, Arvydas
AU - Golubovska, Olga
AU - Moroz, Larysa
AU - Flisiak, Robert
AU - Bondar, Borys
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© 2023 by the authors.
PY - 2023/9
Y1 - 2023/9
N2 - Background and objectives: Since 2013, highly effective direct-acting antiviral (DAA) treatment for chronic hepatitis C (CHC) has become available, with cure rates exceeding 95%. For the choice of optimal CHC treatment, an assessment of the hepatitis C virus (HCV) genotype (GT) and liver fibrosis stage is necessary. Information about the distribution of these parameters among CHC patients in Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania (the Baltic states) and especially in Ukraine is scarce. This study was performed to obtain epidemiologic data regarding CHC GT and fibrosis stage distribution for better planning of resources and prioritization of patients for DAA drug treatment according to disease severity in high-income (the Baltic states) and lower-middle-income (Ukraine) countries. Materials and methods: The retrospective RESPOND-C study included 1451 CHC patients. Demographic and disease information was collected from medical charts for each patient. Results: The most common suspected mode of viral transmission was blood transfusions (17.8%), followed by intravenous substance use (15.7%); however, in 50.9% of patients, the exact mode of transmission was not clarified. In Ukraine (18.4%) and Estonia (26%), transmission by intravenous substance use was higher than in Lithuania (5%) and Latvia (5.3%). Distribution of HCV GT among patients with CHC was as follows: GT1—66.4%; GT3—28.1; and GT2—4.1%. The prevalence of GT1 was the highest in Latvia (84%) and the lowest in Ukraine (63%, p < 0.001). Liver fibrosis stages were distributed as follows: F0—12.2%, F1—26.3%, F2—23.5%, F3—17.1%, and F4—20.9%. Cirrhosis (F4) was more prevalent in Lithuanian patients (30.1%) than in Estonians (8.1%, p < 0.001). Conclusions: This study contributes to the knowledge of epidemiologic characteristics of HCV infection in the Baltic states and Ukraine. The data regarding the patterns of HCV GT and fibrosis stage distribution will be helpful for the development of national strategies to control HCV infection in the era of DAA therapy.
AB - Background and objectives: Since 2013, highly effective direct-acting antiviral (DAA) treatment for chronic hepatitis C (CHC) has become available, with cure rates exceeding 95%. For the choice of optimal CHC treatment, an assessment of the hepatitis C virus (HCV) genotype (GT) and liver fibrosis stage is necessary. Information about the distribution of these parameters among CHC patients in Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania (the Baltic states) and especially in Ukraine is scarce. This study was performed to obtain epidemiologic data regarding CHC GT and fibrosis stage distribution for better planning of resources and prioritization of patients for DAA drug treatment according to disease severity in high-income (the Baltic states) and lower-middle-income (Ukraine) countries. Materials and methods: The retrospective RESPOND-C study included 1451 CHC patients. Demographic and disease information was collected from medical charts for each patient. Results: The most common suspected mode of viral transmission was blood transfusions (17.8%), followed by intravenous substance use (15.7%); however, in 50.9% of patients, the exact mode of transmission was not clarified. In Ukraine (18.4%) and Estonia (26%), transmission by intravenous substance use was higher than in Lithuania (5%) and Latvia (5.3%). Distribution of HCV GT among patients with CHC was as follows: GT1—66.4%; GT3—28.1; and GT2—4.1%. The prevalence of GT1 was the highest in Latvia (84%) and the lowest in Ukraine (63%, p < 0.001). Liver fibrosis stages were distributed as follows: F0—12.2%, F1—26.3%, F2—23.5%, F3—17.1%, and F4—20.9%. Cirrhosis (F4) was more prevalent in Lithuanian patients (30.1%) than in Estonians (8.1%, p < 0.001). Conclusions: This study contributes to the knowledge of epidemiologic characteristics of HCV infection in the Baltic states and Ukraine. The data regarding the patterns of HCV GT and fibrosis stage distribution will be helpful for the development of national strategies to control HCV infection in the era of DAA therapy.
KW - Baltic states
KW - chronic hepatitis C
KW - fibrosis stage
KW - genotype
KW - routes of infection
KW - Ukraine
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85172215131&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.3390/medicina59091577
DO - 10.3390/medicina59091577
M3 - Article
C2 - 37763696
AN - SCOPUS:85172215131
SN - 1010-660X
VL - 59
JO - Medicina (Lithuania)
JF - Medicina (Lithuania)
IS - 9
M1 - 1577
ER -
