Challenges of hepatitis B treatment in rural Sub-Saharan Africa: Treatment initiation and outcomes from a public hospital-based clinic in Kono, Sierra Leone.
J Viral Hepat
; 30(5): 455-462, 2023 05.
Article
em En
| MEDLINE
| ID: mdl-36740953
ABSTRACT
Despite a high prevalence, there are few successful models for de-centralizing diagnosis and treatment of chronic hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection among rural communities in Sub-Saharan Africa. We report baseline characteristics and 1 year retention outcomes for patients enrolled in a HBV clinic integrated within chronic disease services in a rural district hospital in Sierra Leone. We conducted a retrospective cohort study of patients with HBV infection enrolled between 30 April 2019 and 30 April 2021. Patients were eligible for 1 year follow-up if enrolled before 28 February 2020. Treatment eligibility at baseline was defined as cirrhosis (diagnosed by clinical criteria of decompensated cirrhosis, ultrasonographic findings or aspartate-aminotransferase-to-platelet ratio >2) or co-infection with HIV or HCV. Retention in care was defined as a documented follow-up visit at least 1 year after enrolment. We enrolled 623 individuals in care, median age of 30 years (IQR 23-40). Of 617 patients with available data, 97 (15.7%) had cirrhosis. Treatment was indicated among 113 (18.3%) patients and initiated among 74 (65.5%). Of 39 patients eligible for 1 year follow-up on treatment at baseline, 20 (51.3%) were retained at 1 year, among whom 12 (60.0%) had documented viral suppression. Among the 232 patients not initiated on treatment eligible for 1 year follow-up, 75 (32.3%) were retained at 1 year. Although further interventions are required to improve outcomes, our findings demonstrated feasibility of retention and treatment of patients with HBV infection in a rural district in Sub-Saharan Africa, when integrated with other chronic disease services.
Palavras-chave
Texto completo:
1
Base de dados:
MEDLINE
Assunto principal:
Infecções por HIV
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Hepatite B Crônica
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Hepatite B
Tipo de estudo:
Diagnostic_studies
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Observational_studies
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Prognostic_studies
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Risk_factors_studies
Limite:
Adult
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Humans
País como assunto:
Africa
Idioma:
En
Ano de publicação:
2023
Tipo de documento:
Article