Halima Al-Shuaili
Objectives: Chronic hepatitis C (CHC), which is a curable disease, is a leading cause of liver cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) worldwide. However, there is lack of data regarding the epidemiology and survival of CHC in Oman. This study aimed to determine survival rates and the predictors of survival among CHC-infected Omani patients at Sultan Qaboos University Hospital (SQUH).
Methods: This ambidirectional cohort study included all CHC-infected patients who presented to SQUH between January 2009 and December 2015. The baseline demographic, clinical, laboratory, and radiological data of the patients were analyzed. Patients were followed-up until the end of the study (1 September 2019). The survival rate was calculated and its association with other parameters were assessed by Cox regression.
Results: A total of 615 CHC patients were included, with mean±standard deviation age of 44.8±16.5 years and male predominance (65.8%). The major risk factors for acquiring CHC infection in our cohort were intravenous drug addiction (22.6%) and history of blood transfusion (21.1%). The most prevalent genotypes were genotype 1 (44.0%) followed by genotype 3 (36.1%). Of 218 (35.4%) patients with liver cirrhosis, 104 (47.7%) had hepatic decompensation and 58 (26.6%) had HCC. Overall survival rate was 83% and 75.8% at 5 and 10 years, respectively. Older age, diabetes mellitus, HCC, receiving no antiviral treatment, and late diagnosis found to be independent predictors of poor survival.
Conclusions: The implementation of national policies to prevent hepatitis C transmission and encourage the early screening, diagnosis, and treatment of at-risk patients is recommended to reduce the burden and consequences of this disease in Oman
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