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Hepatitis C virus infection risk factors in patients admitted in hospital emergency departments in Picardy. Value of oriented screening based on recommendations of the 'Direction Générate de la Santé

1999; Lippincott Williams & Wilkins; Volume: 11; Issue: 6 Linguagem: Inglês

10.1097/00042737-199906000-00010

1473-5687

Dominique Capron, T. Bensousan, Jean-Pierre Darchis, Jean‐Claude Barbare, Joël Butela, Abdeslam Bental, Jean–François Cadranel, Armand Goll, Philippe Lévy, Olivier lnk, Philippe Autret, Dalila Bouraya, Jean Marc Thiebaut, Jean Jacques Moucheron, Marc Bernard, P.Y. Lallement, Philippe Delobel,

Diabetes Treatment and Management

Objective and design Oriented hepatitis C virus (HCV) screening on the basis of transfusion, previous or currentparenteral drug addiction, invasive procedures, and in family members of patients with hepatitis C, was recommended in France by the 'Direction Générale de la Santé' (DGS). The aim of this study was to estimate the frequency of these risk factors in patients admitted in hospital emergency departments in Picardy. Methods Between 1 June and 31 July 1996, physicians of the emergency units of seven hospitals in Picardy were asked to question admitted patients about risk factors mentioned in the DGS recommendations, and to suggest a screening test when at least one of these risk factors was present. Results Among 1648 patients, 68.7° had at least one of these risk factors. Screening was accepted by 723 patients, 58.7° of those with at least one risk factor, and more than 70° of those with history of transfusion and/or drug addiction. It was immediately performed in 451, and 2.4° had anti-HCV antibodies. The prevalence of anti-HCV antibodies was 1.5° in patients without history of transfusion or drug addiction and 7.9° in those with at least one of these two risk factors. Conclusion Oriented screening based on transfusion or drug addiction history seems to have better efficiency than the screening policy recommended by the DGS. Poor reliability of answers about medical history was observed probably because of stress related to emergency circumstances. A screening test proposed to patients with these major risk factors by their usual physician would be probably more efficient.