Effectiveness of a screening program for hepatitis C.
We sought to determine the outcomes of a screening program for hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection. Of 536 veterans initially screened between July 2000 and June 2001 for risk factors and then tested positive for antibody for HCV, only 260 (48.5%) kept their initial appointments for further evaluation; 51 were not viremic and only 19 (9.1%) were treatment eligible. Of the 276 who did not keep their initial appointments, 92 were subsequently evaluated over the next 2 years and 23 (25%) were treatment eligible, along with another 15 from the first group. Thus, with appropriate intervention and long-term follow-up, there were 57 treatment candidates. In conclusion, most veterans who tested positive either failed to keep their appointment or were ineligible for treatment when first evaluated. Over the following 2 years, some were lost to follow-up, many continued to have contraindication(s) to antiviral therapy, and relatively few were treatment candidates.
Cheung
Ramsey C
RC
Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, VA Palo Alto Health Care System (154C), 3801 Miranda Ave, Palo Alto, California 94304, USA. rcheung@stanford.edu
Cunningham
Barbara A
BA
Cooper
Allen D
AD
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000410:Alanine Transaminase / Q000097:blood; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006526:Hepatitis C / Q000175:diagnosis*; D018937:Hepatitis C Antibodies / Q000097:blood*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008403:Mass Screening / Q000379:methods*; D008875:Middle Aged; D017063:Outcome Assessment, Health Care; D010342:Patient Acceptance of Health Care; D012307:Risk Factors; D014481:United States; D014728:Veterans; D014766:Viremia / Q000175:diagnosis*
D018937:Hepatitis C Antibodies; D000410:Alanine Transaminase