Early experiences from one of the first treatment programs for chronic hepatitis B in sub-Saharan Africa.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Treatment for chronic hepatitis B (CHB) is virtually absent in sub-Saharan Africa. Here we present early experiences from a pilot program for treatment of CHB in Ethiopia.

Methods

Adults (≥18 years) with CHB were included in a cohort study at St. Paul's Hospital Millennium Medical College, Addis Ababa, from February 2015. The baseline assessment included liver function tests, viral markers and transient elastography (Fibroscan 402, Echosense, France). Logistic regression models were used to identify predictors of fibrosis. Tenofovir disoproxil fumarate (TDF) was initiated based on the European Association for the Study of the Liver (EASL) criteria, with some modifications. The initial 300 patients underwent a more comprehensive evaluation and are presented here.

SUBMITTER: Aberra H 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5477340 | biostudies-literature | 2017 Jun

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature