430 likes | 439 Views
Hepatitis C Screening: An Urgent Priority. H. Nina Kim, MD MSc Assistant Professor of Medicine Division of Allergy & Infectious Diseases University of Washington April 24, 2012. No financial conflicts of interest. Burden of Chronic Hepatitis C.
E N D
Hepatitis C Screening: An Urgent Priority H. Nina Kim, MD MSc Assistant Professor of Medicine Division of Allergy & Infectious Diseases University of Washington April 24, 2012 No financial conflicts of interest
Burden of Chronic Hepatitis C • Most common bloodborne chronic viral infection. • Chronic viral hepatitis is 3-5 X more frequent than HIV • No vaccine for hepatitis C. • Serious public health problem in US • Up to 4 million* Americans live with HCV infection • 80% of these have chronic persistent infection • Highest HCV prevalence: • Aged 40-59 • Blacks, Hispanics • Poverty level or below • Incarcerated, homeless, immigrant, active IDUs Armstrong, Annals Intern Med 2006; 144:705. www.cdc.gov/hepatitis/HCV
Subgroups with High HCV Seroprevalence Armstrong, Annals Intern Med 2006; 144:705. Dominitz, Hepatology. 2005;41(1):88-96. Weinbaum, MMWR. 2003 Jan 24;52(RR-1):1-36.
HCV Seroprevalence by Age groupNHANES Armstrong, Ann Intern Med. 2006;144(10):705-14.
Natural History of Hepatitis C 5-25% symptoms Exposure (Acute phase) Exposure (Acute phase) Accelerants: HIV & Alcohol 80% Resolved Chronic Chronic 5-20%* Cirrhosis Cirrhosis Stable 1-5%** ESLD, HCC Transplant Death ESLD, HCC Transplant Death Slowly Progressive * in 20-30 yrs ** per year
Silent Nature of Chronic Hepatitis C • Majority of those infected not yet diagnosed • Only an estimated 25-50% are aware of their HCV infection • Asymptomatic – many unaware they are infected with HCV until they have symptoms of cirrhosis or liver cancer • Screening not being done • Only a small minority (0.5 million) in US have been treated • HCV is leading indication for liver transplantation in U.S. • $30 billion health costs per year • HCV is leading cause of death from liver disease in U.S. • Now up to 12,000 deaths annually Institute of Medicine Report 2010 on Chronic Viral Hepatitis. www.cdc.gov/hepatitis/HCV
Trends in Health Care Resources for HCV in US Grant, et. al. Hepatology 2005; 42(6):1406-1413.
Trends in Health Care Resources for HCV in US Grant, et. al. Hepatology 2005; 42(6):1406-1413.
HCV Disease Progressionin an Aging Population Davis, Gastroenterology. 2010;138(2):513-21.
Mortality for HCV now exceeds that of HIVUS, 1999-2007 Ly et. al. Annals of Intern Med 2012;156:271-278.
Gaps in Awareness & Understandingamong those at highest risk • Drug User Intervention Trial enrolled 3,004 young injection drug users (IDUs) in 5 U.S. cities – 34% found to be HCV-positive • 72% of HCV-positive not aware of their status or thought they were negative • More likely to be aware if hx drug treatment or needle exchange • Among 150 patients seeking substance-use treatment at VA medical center • 90% of those HCV-infected were not aware of their status • 41% IDUs did not know or were unsure of how HCV was spread or what complications can develop • Australian study: 42% of IDUs believed being antibody positive for HCV meant you were immune Hagan, Public Health Reports 2006;121(6):713-19. Dhopesh, Am J Drug Alc Abuse 2000;26:703. O’Brien, Addictive Behav 2008;33(12):1602-05.
Lack of Public Awareness Lack of Provider Awareness Lack of Public Resource Allocation • At-risk people do not know that they’re at risk or how to prevent getting infected • At-risk people may not have access to preventive services • Chronically infected people do not know that they are infected • Many medical providers do not screen or know how to manage those infected • Infected people often have inadequate access to testing & medical care • Inadequate disease-surveillance systems both underreport acute/chronic HCV Improved Provider & Community Education Integration & Enhancement of Viral Hepatitis Services Improved Disease Surveillance Institute of Medicine Report 2010 on Chronic Viral Hepatitis.
Goals for Healthy People 2020: • Reduce by 25% number of new hep C cases • Increase awareness of hep C infection from 45% to 66% among those infected http://www.hhs.gov/ash/initiatives/hepatitis/
This alarming trend in hep C can be reversed…We know HCV treatment can save lives and permanently clear HCV virus…
Sustained Virologic Response (SVR)Goal of HCV Treatment Sustained Virologic Response (SVR) 7 HCV RNA negative 24 weeks after cessation of treatment 6 Sustained Virologic Response (SVR) 5 4 HCV RNA Log10 IU/ml End of Treatment 3 24 Weeks 2 Undetectable 1 0 -8 -4 -2 0 4 8 12 16 20 24 32 40 48 52 60 72 Weeks After Start of Therapy Modified From: Ghany MG, et. al. Hepatology. 2009;49:1335-74.
HCV Patients with Advanced Fibrosis:SVR Reduces Mortality & Morbidity Liver-Related Death Liver Failure 50 50 40 40 30 30 Liver Failure (%) Liver-Related Death (%) 20 20 10 10 0 0 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Year Year 5-yr occurrence SVR: 4.4% (CI: 0% to 12.9%)No SVR: 12.9% (CI: 7.7% to 18.0%)P = .024 (log likelihood) 5-yr occurrence SVR: 0%No SVR:13.3% (CI: 8.4% to 18.2%)P = .001 (log likelihood) Veldt BJ, et al. Ann Intern Med. 2007;147:677-684.
Sustained Virologic ResponseClinical Outcomes in HIV-HCV Patients Incidence per 100 person-yrs Hepatic decompensation Berengeur et. al. Hepatology 2009; 50:407-413.
Therapy for Hepatitis C: Historical Milestones Timeline 1986 1998 2001 2002 Source: Ghany MG, et. al. Hepatology. 2009;49:1335-74.
Therapy for Hepatitis C: Historical Milestones Timeline 1986 1998 2001 2002 2011 70
Direct-Acting AntiviralsA New Era of HCV Therapy • New standard of care for HCV genotype 1 infection • HCV protease inhibitor + pegIFN / ribavirin “triple therapy” • Higher SVR rates observed across all patient groups including “difficult to treat” groups (prior tx failures, AA, cirrhotics). • Challenges remain: • Access & tolerability still limited by Peg-IFN + RBV • Pill burden, q8h dosing + meal • Additional side effects • Drug interactions • Resistance? • Cost! • IFN-free era in horizon?
Hepatitis C VirusClasses of Direct-Acting Antivirals NS3/4A protease inhibitor Hepatitis C Proteins Structural Proteins Nonstructural (NS) Proteins C E1 E2 p7 NS2 NS3 NS4A NS4B NS5A NS5B Nucleocapsid Envelope Glycoprotein CysteineProtease Serine Protease Cofactors RNA binding and assembly recognition complex Envelope Glycoprotein Vioporin Serine Protease RNAHelicase Membranous Web Induction RNA-Dependent RNA Polymerase NS5A polymerase inhibitor • NS5B polymerase inhibitors • Nucleoside analogues • Non-nucleoside inhibitors
Hep C Screening is the First Step… Cure Assessment Testing Treatment Counseling Screening
Comprehensive Strategy to Prevent & Control HCV • Primary Prevention • Screen & test blood, plasma, organ, tissue donors • Sterilize plasma-derived products • Infection control practices • Risk reduction & counseling services • Drug treatment & safe syringe/needle access • Secondary Prevention • Identify, counsel & test persons at risk • Medical management of infected persons
What is Recommended for Hep C Screening? Centers for Disease Control, 1998: Yes: “Testing should be offered routinely to persons most likely to be infected with HCV… and be accompanied by appropriate counseling & medical follow-up.” American Association for Study of Liver Diseases, 2009: Yes: “as part of a comprehensive health evaluation, all persons should be screened for behaviors that place them at high risk for HCV infection.” US Preventive Services Task Force, 2004: Not really: “USPSTF found insufficient evidence to recommend for or against routine screening for HCV infection in adults at high risk for infection.”
Who Should be Screened for Hepatitis C?CDC Guidelines, 1998 • Ever injected illegal drugs • Received clotting factors made before 1987 • Received blood/organs before July 1992 • Ever on chronic hemodialysis • Evidence of liver disease (elevated liver enzymes) • Infants born to HCV-infected mothers • HIV infection • After HCV exposure (needlestick injury)
Where Should Screening for Hepatitis C Take Place?CDC Guidelines, 1998 Screen at these venues: • Correctional institutions • HIV counseling & testing sites • Drug treatment facilities • STD treatment programs Screening must include: • Counseling on • What results mean • Whether further testing needs to be done • Referral/linkage to medical care
Targeted Risk-Based ScreeningOnly as good as the asking… • 4,000 primary care physicians mailed survey; 1,412 responded • Most clinicians lack familiarity with HCV: • 73% had < 5 hep C patients in the preceding year • 44% had no experience with treatment of HCV • Only 59% said they asked all patients about hep C risk factors McGinn, Arch Intern Med 2008;168(18):2009-2013.
Risk-based Screening Limitations • Patients uncertain of past exposure history • Reticence to disclose sensitive risk behaviors • Providers reluctant to ask about sensitive risk behaviors • Inconsistent system-wide implementation • Ultimately it has failed… • 40-85% of HCV-infected still undiagnosed McGinn, Arch Intern Med 2008;168(18):2009-2013. Shehab, J Viral Hepat 2001;8(5):377-83. Serrante, Fam Med 2008;40(5):345-51.
Birth Cohort ScreeningCDC, 2012-2013 • We need enhanced easy-to-implement screening guidance that works • Remember: 80% HCV-infected persons born 1945-1965 • Birth cohort screening shown by modeling to be more cost-effective than risk-based screening: • Would identify additional 808,580 HCV cases & prevent 82,000 HCV-related deaths at a cost of $2874 per new case identified • $15,700 per QALY saved assuming standard treatment and $35,700 per QALY saved assuming addition of new antivirals. • Revised CDC guidelines coming… stay tuned. Rein, Annals of Intern Med 2012;156:263-270.
HCV Diagnostic Algorithm Antibody Test EIA for anti-HCV HCV RNA • Negative for HCV InfectionAdditional Testing Recommended if: • Acute HCV suspected • Hemodialysis • Immunocompromised Active HCV InfectionMedical Evaluation RIBA Resolved HCV Infection False-Reactive EIA CDC Guidelines on Hep C Dx, MMWR 2003;52(RR03):1-16.
Counseling the HCV-positive Patient www.cdc.gov/hepatitis/HCV
Counseling the HCV-positive Patient www.cdc.gov/hepatitis/HCV
Rapid Testing for HCVFDA approved, June 2010 • Approved for whole blood, fingerstick • Oral swab testing not yet approved • Antibody test, similar to HIV rapid test • Point-of-care – results x 20 min • Preliminary “positive” – needs confirmatory testing • Sensitivity 79-99% • Specificity 80-100% • Increased feasibility of testing in outreach settings (needle exchange, STD clinics, methadone programs) Smith BD, J Infect Dis. 2011;204(6):825-31.
May 19National Hepatitis Testing Day • Opportunity to remind health care providers and the public who should be tested for chronic viral hepatitis. • Build collective voice around this urgent issue. http://www.cdc.gov/hepatitis/KnowMoreHepatitis.htm
Meeting the Challenges of HCV Parallels with HIV • Both infections can carry stigma • Disproportionate burden among marginalized • Many undiagnosed & untreated • Risk-based screening has proven inadequate in identifying infected persons promptly • Barriers to new life-saving treatments • Increasing complexity of management • Shortage of skilled clinicians • Concerns re cost & reimbursement • But HCV treatment is of limited duration & achieves a cure • Like HIV, we can gain ground with advocacy & education