Health Related Quality of Life in Chronic Hepatitis C Patients before and after treatment

Abstract

Back ground Chronic hepatitis C (CHC) virus infection is a major cause of chronic liver disease and death throughout the world; several studies have shown an impaired health-related quality of life (HRQoL)in patients with CHC compared to general population whereas treatment of this disease often produce varying degrees of adverse effects which may negatively affect a patient’s HRQoL. Aim To measure the change in the HRQoL of the patients after the treatment and compare this change with response to treatment. Methodology 427 chronic HCV newly recruited patients to receive pegylated interferon and ribavirin for 48 weeks in the National Hepatology & Tropical medicine Research Institute were selected and completed the SF-36 quality of life questionnaire before treatment and at the end of treatment then followed up for another six months to determine sustained virological response (SVR). Results Patients’ HRQoL showed deterioration in all domains at the end of treatment compared to baseline measures with high statistical significant differences (p < 0.001). Non-responders showed more deterioration than patients with SVR especially in the perception of “mental health, social wellbeing, bodily pain, and general health”. Conclusion Sustained virological response rate between chronic hepatitis C patients receiving combined anti-viral therapy (interferon and ribavirin) was 63.5%. HRQoL of patients receiving combined anti-viral therapy (interferon and ribavirin) deteriorated during the course of treatment till the end of treatment. Patients with SVR were less deteriorated than non-responders.