title: Ethnic epidemiological profiles and antiviral therapy among patients infected with hepatitis C virus genotype 4: a multicenter study from Belgium.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Hepatitis C virus genotype 4 (HCV-4) is the most prevalent genotype in Central Africa.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To compare epidemiology, clinical characteristics and any differences in access to HCV therapy in two populations of HCV-4 patients residing in Belgium.
  
  
  METHODS
  This multicenter study selected 473 HCV-4 patients from seven hospital databases and compared them according to ethnic origin, i.e., Black African (n=331) or not (n=142), for epidemiological, clinical, biological and histological characteristics. Interleukin 28B polymorphism (CC-genotype) was evaluated in a second cohort of 69 Black African and 30 non-Black African patients.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Compared to other patients, the Black African patients were more likely to be female and were older, commonly overweight, frequently had abnormal glucose metabolism and arterial hypertension ; they were less likely to have dyslipidemia, a history of alcohol consumption or ALT elevation. The route of infection was more frequently unknown in Black African than in other patients. Black African patients had more HCV-4 subtypes, were less frequently of IL28B CC-genotype and had less severe liver fibrosis. The proportion of patients who received antiviral treatment was similar in the two groups.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In this Belgian cohort, patients with HCV-4 infection were more frequently of Black African origin than of other origin. Infected Black African patients were more commonly -female, older at diagnosis, and had more co-morbidities than other patients; they also had less advanced liver fibrosis than infected non-Black African patients and fewer had a CC genotype.
authors.forename: Marcel
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Nkuize
authors.forename: Jean-Pierre
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Mulkay
authors.forename: Christophe
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Moreno
authors.forename: Luc
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Lasser
authors.forename: Peter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Michielsen
authors.forename: Chantal
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: de Galocsy
authors.forename: Robert
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Scheen
authors.forename: Collins
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Assene
authors.forename: Jean
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Delwaide
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000998:Antiviral Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001530:Belgium; D044383:Black People / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005260:Female; D005838:Genotype; D054625:Healthcare Disparities / Q000208:ethnology*; D016174:Hepacivirus; D006526:Hepatitis C / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000208:ethnology* / Q000821:virology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged
chemical_list: D000998:Antiviral Agents