P- 97 CHARACTERIZATION OF PATIENTS INFECTED WITH HEPATITIS C IN 2 REFERENCE CENTERS IN PARAGUAY, FROM APRIL 2000 TO SEPTEMBER 2021

Abstract

Introduction and Objectives: The actual situation of HCV infection in Paraguay is not clearly known. There are few published works in relation to the characteristics of this disease in this country. This study aimed to describe patients with HCV infection and their clinical and epidemiological characteristics. Materials and Methods: Observational, cross-sectional, retrospective, descriptive design. Patients from the Department of Gastroenterology and Digestive Endoscopy from April 2011 to September 2021 and patients from a private reference center from April 2000 to September 2021 were included. Results: We identified 92 patients with positive Anti-HCV; 53 had positive RNA PCR and sufficient data. 58.5% (31) were male. The median age was 48 years. 42% (22) were foreigners. 42% (22) had no identified risk factor, and 34% (18) had some transfusion history. 33% (17) were in the cirrhotic stage at the time of diagnosis; of these: 80% (12) were Child A, 20% (3) were stage B and the mean MELD was 10.3. Of the 53 patients, 44 (83%) had documented HCV genotype. The distribution by genotypes was: Genotype 1: 24 (55%) (1a: 23%; 1b: 21%); Genotype 3: 9 (20%); Genotype 2: 8 (18%) and Genotype 4: 3 (7%). Five patients (9.4%) had extrahepatic manifestations, two with lichen planus, two others with seronegative arthritis, one with Sjögren's syndrome and two patients with HIV-HCV coinfection (3.8%). Conclusions: This work offers data limited to the experience of two centers. Larger population studies are needed to determine whether this preliminary information reflects the situation of the Paraguayan population.