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Baby boomers with HCV have low incidence of varices, PHG

HONOLULU — In a poster presented at ACG 2015, researchers found that baby boomers with hepatitis C virus infection have low incidence rates of esophageal/gastric varices and portal hypertensive gastropathy.

“It is a commonly held belief that the baby boomer population infected with hepatitis C would likely have signs of portal hypertension and liver decompensation,” Idrees Suliman, MD, research associate, Southern California GI and Liver Center, told Healio.com/Hepatology. “Interestingly, in this study we found the opposite to be true, in spite of higher rates of cirrhosis. The baby boomer population represents a demographic that should be actively screened and treated for hepatitis C.”

Idrees Suliman

Suliman and colleagues analyzed data of 3,347 patients presenting for esophagogastroduodenoscopy between November 2012 and May 2015. They sought to evaluate the “frequency of endoscopic findings” of esophageal/gastric varices and portal hypertensive gastropathy (PHG) among baby boomers (ages 51-69 years) and non-baby boomers. Of all the patients, 394 had HCV and were included in the final analyses. Of these, 298 were considered baby boomers (75.6%).

Analyses showed that patients younger than 50 years had higher proportions of both esophageal/gastric varices (59%) and PHG (70%) compared with patients between the ages of 51 and 69 years (8% and 15%) and patients aged older than 70 years (0% for both). Among baby boomers, 8% had varices and 15% showed evidence of PHG.

A subgroup analysis showed that patients between the ages of 51 and 60 years had a 12% prevalence of varices and a 22% prevalence of PHG. Patients between the ages of 61 and 69 years had a 2% prevalence of both varices and PHG. All of the patients aged older than 70 years showed no evidence of varices or PHG.

FibroScan showed 223 of 394 patients had cirrhosis, of which 82% were among baby boomers.

“Although over 50% of HCV infected baby boomers have cirrhosis, they have lower incidences of varices and PHG,” the researchers wrote. “This could be explained by a slowly progressive hepatitis C disease.”

The researchers concluded: “This study demonstrated that baby boomers with HCV have a lower prevalence of varices and/or PHG even in the presence of cirrhosis and patients below 50 years of age presented with higher prevalence of varices and PHG.” – by Melinda Stevens

Reference:

Suliman I, et al. Abstract P1125. Presented at: ACG; Oct. 16-21, 2015; Honolulu.

Disclosures: The researchers report no relevant financial disclosures.