Birth cohort screening more accurate in detecting HCV vs. standard method

BOSTON — Hepatitis C virus screening among a birth cohort was five times more effective in identifying people with current or previous hepatitis C virus infection compared with the standard screening method, according to data presented at The Liver Meeting.

“A vast majority (81%) of Americans living with chronic HCV are baby boomers. An estimated 2.16 million baby boomers have chronic HCV, yet many don’t know they have it and aren’t receiving the treatment and care they need,” Anthony K. Yartel, MPH, CDC Foundation Fellow, told Healio.com/Hepatology. “This study analyzed the current birth cohort screening recommendation from the CDC and found that on average it is four to five times more effective in identifying people currently or previously infected with HCV as compared to the previous screening strategy, which focused on identifying people at greatest risk for having HCV.”

Researchers conducted three HCV screening trials at primary care health care facilities between December 2012 and February 2014. The trials randomly assigned individuals or clusters to standard HCV screening (control group) or HCV birth cohort (BC) testing. Trial one included one center sending invitations to undergo BC testing, trial two consisted of a second center implementing BC testing with provider Best Practice Alert and the third trial assigned the third center to perform BC testing with recruiters.

In trial one, 8,992 patients (BC, n=2,996; controls, n=5,996) were included in the final analysis, in which the RR was 8 (95% CI, 1.7-37.7) in identifying patients with HCV in the BC group compared with the control group. In trial two, 13,481 patients (BC, n=8,313; controls, n=5,168) from 10 clinics were included and analyzed. Patients with HCV were three times more likely to be identified using the BC screening method compared with the standard method among the controls (RR=3.1; 95% CI, 1.2-8.2). In the third trial, data from 14,966 patients (BC, n=4,608; controls, n=10,358) during two time periods were included and compared. Patients with HCV were five times more likely to be identified through BC testing compared with standard testing through the control group (RR=5.2; 95% CI, 2.8-9.5).

“The results of this study demonstrate that baby boomer recommendations can be implemented in practice and will result in a significant increase in HCV diagnoses,” Yartel said. – by Melinda Stevens

For more information:

Smith BD. Abstract 194. Presented at: The Liver Meeting; Nov. 7-11, 2014; Boston.

Disclosure: Relevant financial disclosures were not provided by researchers.