Epidemiological and clinical profile of patients with hepatitis C treated in a national hospital 2015-2023

Abstract

Introduction: Hepatitis produced by the Hepatitis C Virus (HCV) is a public health problem that affects millions of people globally. In Honduras, information on hepatitis C is scarce. Objective: To describe the epidemiological and clinical profile of patients >18 years with confirmed HCV infection, Infectious Diseases Outpatient Clinic, Hospital Escuela, 2015-2023. Methods: Descriptive retrospective study. Sociodemographic, clinical and background variables were analyzed from database. The results are presented as frequency and percentage of the variables studied. Approval was obtained from the Research Ethics Committee, Faculty of Medical Sciences, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de Honduras (UNAH). Results: Of 155 patients included, the mean annual distribution was 17 cases; 58.1% (90) were male, mean age 26.5 years (SD+3.7), 63.8% (99) were from Francisco Morazán. Chronic active infection was confirmed in 33.5% (53). The 40.0% (62) had no history, 24.5% (38) received blood product transfusions, 4.5% (7) had Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) coinfection. Of patients with active chronic infection, 33.9% (18) developed cirrhosis. Patients with active chronic infection were treated with Sofosbuvir/Velpatasvir, achieving sustained virological response in 73.5% (39), but 9.4% (5) died. Discussion: Despite the efficacy of antivirals, sustained virologic response was lower than in other groups, possibly due to irregular clinical follow-up. The high frequency of cirrhosis suggests late diagnosis, reducing opportunities for intervention. Most cases were young adults, reflecting epidemiological changes. It is key to strengthening surveillance, improving diagnosis and ensure adequate follow-up.