Delta hepatitis within the Veterans Affairs medical system in the United States: Prevalence, risk factors, and outcomes.

ABSTRACT:

Background & aims

Low hepatitis delta prevalence estimates in the United States are likely biased due to low testing rates. The objectives of this study were to quantify the prevalence of testing and identify factors associated with hepatitis D positive status among chronic hepatitis B patients in the Veterans Health Administration.

Methods

We performed a nationwide retrospective study of all veterans who tested positive for HBsAg from October 1999 to December 2013. Hepatitis D antibody testing results were used to stratify patients into three groups: HDV-positive, HDV-negative, and HDV-not tested. Demographics, comorbidities, additional laboratory data and clinical outcomes were compared across these groups of patients using standard statistical approaches.

Results

A

SUBMITTER: Kushner T 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4574953 | biostudies-literature | 2015 Sep

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature