Characteristics Of Outpatients With Chronic Hepatitis C

OBJECTIVE:The aim of this study was to survey basic information of outpatients with chronic hepatitis C (CHC) and to present the clinical characteristics of CHC in one of Provincial General Hospitals.METHODS:CHC outpatient clinical data were retrospectively analyzed using the cross-sectional method.RESULTS:The cross sectional study was conducted at Lanzhou University second hospital. The clinical data of84cases with CHC in outpatients were recruited during the prescribed time in one of provincial general hospitals.(1) Age distribution:the majority age of outpatients was rang from41to60years old. They accounted for57.14%(48/84).(2) Gender distribution:40.48%(34/84) outpatients recruited were male and59.52%(50/84) outpatients recruited were female, The ratio of male and female incidence was1:1.47. Female infection rate slightly higher than the male.(3) Regional distribution:urban residents had a higher prevalence with accounting for86.90%(73/84).(4) Occupational distribution:retirees had a higher incidence with accounting for29.76%(25/84).(5) Other complications of CHC:the incidence of gallstones was23.3%in patients with CHC,9.52%(8/84) patients complicated with alcoholic liver disease.(6) HCV infection time:HCV infections peaked in1991-2000(39%,33/84);(7) HCV confirmed diagnosis time:84.52%(71/84) patients diagnosed HCV infections in2001～2011;(8) Risk factors of HCV infection:Most patients were infectived with HCV by transfusing blood or blood products, which accounted for91.67%(77/84), followed infection by surgical/medical procedure besides dialysis with accounting for5.95%(5/84);(9) HCV RNA positive rate:The positive rate of HCV RNA was72.62%(61/84), high viral load group had a higher prevalence with accounting for62.30%;(10) The abnormal rate of ALT:low viral load group had the highest abnormity rate of ALT with accounting for19.05%(16/84).however, there was no significant difference between high and low viral load group (P>0.05);(11) ALT level:ALT level had significant difference between HCV RNA positive group and negative group (P<0.05);(12) correlations of age, gender, infection time, ALT level and HCV RNA load:It was no relationship among age, gender, infection time, HCV RNA and ALT in patients with CHC(P>0.05);(13) treatment:Most patients received antiviral therapy with accounting for70.24%(59/84),88.14%(52/59) of patients can use Peg-interferon and ribavirin combination therapy.CONCLUSIONS:Chronic hepatitis C outpatients focused in41to60years old retired patient. Female was more than the male. Blood transfusion was the most commonly way in transmission routes, followed by hospital-acquired infection. HCV RNA positive rate was higher in patients with CHC. ALT level had significant difference between HCV RNA positive group and negative group. It was no relationship among age, gender, infection time, HCV RNA and ALT in patients. At present, most of the patients were able to use Peg-interferon and ribavirin combination therapy.