title: Association between interferon use and reduced metabolic and vascular complications among patients with hepatitis C.
abstract: We examined whether interferon treatment is associated with reduced metabolic/vascular complications in hepatitis C virus patients. The study had historical prospective cohort design using Maryland Medicaid administrative data (2006-2009). The end point was the incidence rate of mild, severe and combined mild/severe events from the Diabetes Complications Severity Index (DCSI). Interferon-treated and -untreated hepatitis C virus patients were matched on baseline covariates. Using multivariate counting process Cox regressions, we modeled the association between interferon receipt of at least 24 weeks and DCSI events incidence rate. Treated whites had similar rate of mild DCSI events, significantly 64% (p < 0.01) lower rate of severe DCSI events, and overall 29% (p = 0.14) lower rate of mild/severe DCSI events, compared with untreated whites. Compared with untreated blacks, treated blacks had a similar rate of DSCI events. Future studies should confirm our findings and should include important clinical variables such as viral genotype, virologic count and achieving sustained virologic response.
authors.affiliation: University of Maryland School of Pharmacy, 220 Arch Street, Saratoga Offices 12th Floor, Baltimore, MD 21201, USA.
authors.forename: Viktor V
authors.initials: VV
authors.lastname: Chirikov
authors.forename: Fadia T
authors.initials: FT
authors.lastname: Shaya
authors.forename: Charles D
authors.initials: CD
authors.lastname: Howell
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001741:Black or African American / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D000998:Antiviral Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D015331:Cohort Studies; D005260:Female; D006526:Hepatitis C / Q000150:complications* / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000453:epidemiology; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D007372:Interferons / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008297:Male; D008396:Maryland / Q000453:epidemiology; D008484:Medicaid / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D008875:Middle Aged; D016016:Proportional Hazards Models; D014481:United States; D044465:White People / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D000998:Antiviral Agents; D007372:Interferons
keywords: chronic hepatitis C; diabetes; interferon; vascular disease