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Sharma M, Al Kaabi S, John AK, et al. Screening for hepatitis C in average and high-risk populations of Qatar using rapid point-of-care testing. United European Gastroenterol J. 2015;3(4):364-70doi: 10.1177/2050640615580725.
Sharma, M., Al Kaabi, S., John, A. K., Al Dweik, N., Ullah Wani, H., Babu Thandassary, R., Derbala, M. F., Al Ejji, K., Sultan, K., Pasic, F., Al Mohannadi, M., Yacoub, R., Butt, M. T., & Singh, R. (2015). Screening for hepatitis C in average and high-risk populations of Qatar using rapid point-of-care testing. United European gastroenterology journal, 3(4), 364-70. https://doi.org/10.1177/2050640615580725
Sharma, Manik, et al. "Screening for hepatitis C in average and high-risk populations of Qatar using rapid point-of-care testing." United European gastroenterology journal vol. 3,4 (2015): 364-70. doi: https://doi.org/10.1177/2050640615580725
Sharma M, Al Kaabi S, John AK, Al Dweik N, Ullah Wani H, Babu Thandassary R, Derbala MF, Al Ejji K, Sultan K, Pasic F, Al Mohannadi M, Yacoub R, Butt MT, Singh R. Screening for hepatitis C in average and high-risk populations of Qatar using rapid point-of-care testing. United European Gastroenterol J. 2015 Aug;3(4):364-70. doi: 10.1177/2050640615580725. PMID: 26279845; PMCID: PMC4528213.
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United European Gastroenterol J. 2015 Aug;3(4):364-70. doi: 10.1177/2050640615580725.

Screening for hepatitis C in average and high-risk populations of Qatar using rapid point-of-care testing.

United European gastroenterology journal

Manik Sharma, Saad Al Kaabi, Anil K John, Nazeeh Al Dweik, Hameed Ullah Wani, Ragesh Babu Thandassary, Moutaz F Derbala, Khalid Al Ejji, Khaleel Sultan, Fuad Pasic, Munnera Al Mohannadi, Rafae Yacoub, Mohd Tariq Butt, Rajvir Singh

Affiliations

  1. Division of Gastroenterology, Department of Medicine, Hamad Medical Corporation, Doha, Qatar.
  2. Department of CCS, Hamad Medical Corporation, Doha, Qatar.

PMID: 26279845 PMCID: PMC4528213 DOI: 10.1177/2050640615580725

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Screening for hepatitis C has been found to be beneficial in high-risk individuals and 'baby boomers'.

OBJECTIVE: Our aim was to screen for hepatitis C in average and high-risk individuals and compare the disease characteristics and response to treatment among the screened group (SG) and non-screened group (NSG).

METHOD: Community-based screening for hepatitis C was done in the average and high-risk populations of Qatar. Screening was done using rapid point-of-care testing. All patients with stage 1 fibrosis on liver biopsy were treated with pegylated interferon and ribavirin.

RESULTS: In total, 13,704 people were screened and 272 (2%, 95% CI (1.8-2.2%) had positive antibodies to hepatitis C. During the same period, 237 non-screened patients (NSG) with hepatitis C were referred for treatment. Alanine and aspartate aminotransferases (ALT, AST) and overall fibrosis were significantly lower in the SG as compared with the NSG (p = 0.04, 0.04 and 0.01, respectively). The response to treatment was similar in the SG as compared with the NSG (sustained viral response 61.7 % versus 69.1%, p = 0.55). Average-risk patients had significantly lower ALT levels (p = 0.04) but had similar response to treatment as the high-risk individuals (sustained viral response 63.2 % versus 61%, p = 0.87).

CONCLUSION: Screening detects hepatitis C with lesser fibrosis but does not result in better response to pegylated interferon and ribavirin as compared with non-screened patients.

Keywords: Qatar; Screening; fibrosis; hepatitis C; treatment

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