title: Audit of state-funded antiviral treatment for chronic hepatitis C in Qatar.
abstract: Hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection is a major public health problem in the Middle East. A database of 400 patients with chronic HCV in Qatar was retrospectively analysed: 242 patients underwent antiviral treatment, of whom 212 (87.6%) were naïve to treatment. The response to treatment and the predictors of response were studied. The largest group of patients were of Egyptian origin. The rate of sustained virological response (SVR) varied significantly between patients with HCV genotypes 2 or 3 (79.6%) and genotype 1 (45.6%) and 4 (the predominant genotype) (51.0%). Multivariate analysis showed that the independent predictors of SVR were age < 45 years, infection with genotypes 2 or 3, low fibrosis score on liver biopsy and naïve treatment status.
authors.affiliation: Department of Gastroenterology, Hamad General Hospital, Hamad Medical Corporation, Doha, Qatar. aniljohn44@gmail.com
authors.forename: A K
authors.initials: AK
authors.lastname: John
authors.forename: Kaabi S
authors.initials: KS
authors.lastname: Al
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: John
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Singh
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Derbala
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000998:Antiviral Agents / Q000191:economics / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D016903:Drug Monitoring; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D004534:Egypt / Q000208:ethnology; D005260:Female; D005838:Genotype; D016174:Hepacivirus / Q000235:genetics*; D019698:Hepatitis C, Chronic / Q000097:blood / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000821:virology; D006801:Humans; D000077190:Interferon alpha-2; D016898:Interferon-alpha / Q000191:economics / Q000627:therapeutic use; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D011092:Polyethylene Glycols / Q000191:economics / Q000627:therapeutic use; D011780:Qatar / Q000453:epidemiology; D012367:RNA, Viral / Q000097:blood; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D012111:Residence Characteristics; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012254:Ribavirin / Q000191:economics / Q000627:therapeutic use; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D019562:Viral Load
chemical_list: D000998:Antiviral Agents; D000077190:Interferon alpha-2; D016898:Interferon-alpha; D012367:RNA, Viral; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D011092:Polyethylene Glycols; D012254:Ribavirin; C417083:peginterferon alfa-2b