Hepatitis C: Epidemiologie investigation and therapeutical treatment in Greece

The HCV infection is a serious public health problem and according to WHO and CDC more than 500.000 individuals have been infected worldwide, from which the 85% have developed chronic hepatitis C. Despite the fact that hepatitis C causes diffuse necrosis and liver inflammation, the therapeutic approach of the disease with a combined interferon and ribavirin treatment, has improved survival rates. The aim of the present study is to analyze a sample of 265 patients with hepatitis C from the Hepatologic Centre of the Elena hospital in Athens, Greece and to investigate potential virologic, clinical and demographic characteristics of the patients that may constitute important correlation factors. Non-parametric statistical tests have been used, while a model for the explanation of the probability of liver cirrhosis with the use of logistic regression has been proposed. The analysis of variance led to the detection of differentiation regarding the age in relation to the way of the HCV virus transmission. The results indicated that the transmission through injected drug use is statistically significant with age. Moreover, differentiations were found in relation to the Body Mass Index(BMI), the age and the serologic levels of the hepatic enzyme SGPT, with regard to the presence (or no) of hepatic cirrhosis. Finally, the hepatic cirrhosis development probability depends on the patient's age and the serological levels of SGPT while the way of transmission and the BMI do not constitute important factors for the development of hepatic cirrhosis.