title: High proportion of hepatitis C virus in community Asian American patients with non-liver-related complaints.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Besides United States population born between 1945 and 1965, screening for hepatitis C virus (HCV) is not recommended for the general US population. However, HCV may be more prevalent in certain subgroups and screening may be warranted. The goal of this study was to examine the proportion of HCV in a large sample of community Asian American patients presenting for non-liver-related complaints.
  
  
  METHODS
  We conducted a cross-sectional study of 1246 patients tested for hepatitis C virus antibodies (anti-HCV) referred to 2 gastroenterology clinics for non-liver-related gastrointestinal reasons between January 2001 and February 2011. We determined HCV status and patient history via electronic medical record review.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Of the 1246 study patients tested for anti-HCV, the majority were Asian (81.4%) and 29 Asian patients (2.9%) had positive anti-HCV. HCV proportion in the remaining 232 non-Asians (non-Hispanic whites and Hispanics) was 1.7%. Asians with positive anti-HCV were more likely to have had blood transfusions (31.0% vs. 6.6%, P<0.0001) or acupuncture (10.3% vs. 1.5%, P<0.0001). Of the 976 Asian patients with hepatitis B surface antigen testing, 38 (3.9%) also had detectable hepatitis B surface antigen.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Among patients seen at community gastroenterology clinics for non-liver-related reasons, HCV proportion was 1.7% for non-Asians and 2.9% for Asians. Screening for HCV should be offered to high-risk patients presenting to gastroenterology clinics with unrelated gastrointestinal complaints.
authors.affiliation: Pacific Health Foundation, San Jose, CA, USA.
authors.forename: Kevin C
authors.initials: KC
authors.lastname: Kin
authors.forename: Brian
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Lin
authors.forename: Nghiem B
authors.initials: NB
authors.lastname: Ha
authors.forename: Kevin T
authors.initials: KT
authors.lastname: Chaung
authors.forename: Huy N
authors.initials: HN
authors.lastname: Trinh
authors.forename: Ruel T
authors.initials: RT
authors.lastname: Garcia
authors.forename: Khanh K
authors.initials: KK
authors.lastname: Nguyen
authors.forename: Huy A
authors.initials: HA
authors.lastname: Nguyen
authors.forename: Eduardo B
authors.initials: EB
authors.lastname: da Silveira
authors.forename: Brian S
authors.initials: BS
authors.lastname: Levitt
authors.forename: Mindie H
authors.initials: MH
authors.lastname: Nguyen
mesh_terms: D015670:Acupuncture Therapy / Q000009:adverse effects; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001213:Asian / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D002140:California / Q000453:epidemiology; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006526:Hepatitis C / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000208:ethnology*; D018937:Hepatitis C Antibodies / Q000097:blood; D006630:Hispanic or Latino / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015995:Prevalence; D012307:Risk Factors; D065227:Transfusion Reaction; D044465:White People / Q000706:statistics & numerical data
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D018937:Hepatitis C Antibodies