Spontaneous elimination of the Hepatitis C virus at the CMN la Raza specialty hospital

Abstract

Introduction and Objectives: This study aimed to estimate risk factors for viral exposure in patients with spontaneous elimination of HCV in the Hepatitis clinic of CMN La Raza. Materials and Methods: Retrospective, observational, descriptive, cross-sectional and single-center study. Records of patients with antibodies against HCV determined by third-generation ELISA from July 2017 to February 2020 were reviewed; those that did not have sufficient information to carry out the analysis were eliminated, patients with the positive anti-HCV test were selected, confirmatory test with HCV PCR detectable by Abbot's real-time PCR. Risk factors for exposure to HCV and demographic data were collected. The results were analyzed with measures of relative frequencies and obtaining percentages, mean and average. Results: Sixty patients (12.4%) with undetectable anti HCV+/PCR were included; 22 were men (35%) and 40 were women (65%), mean age of 54.4 years. Risk factors for exposure to HCV were: surgery (90%), transfusions (37%), dental interventions (10%). None presented a clinical picture suggestive of viral hepatitis. Associated comorbidities: systemic arterial hypertension (25%), Diabetes mellitus 2 (14%), obesity (8%). Conclusions: All the patients studied had risk factors for exposure to HCV, as reported in the literature. A higher frequency of spontaneous elimination of HCV was found in the female gender. All patients with an anti-HCV + test must undergo an HCV RNA test to confirm infection and start antiviral treatment since the spontaneous elimination of HCV is low. Funding: The resources used in this study were from the hospital without any additional financing Declaration of interest: The authors declare no potential conflicts of interest.