Regional differences in treatment rates for patients with chronic hepatitis C infection: Systematic review and meta-analysis.

ABSTRACT:

Background & aims

Treatment rates with interferon-based therapies for chronic hepatitis C have been low. Our aim was to perform a systematic review of available data to estimate the rates and barriers for antiviral therapy for chronic hepatitis C.

Methods

We conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis searching MEDLINE, SCOPUS through March 2016 and abstracts from recent major liver meetings for primary literature with available hepatitis C treatment rates. Random-effects models were used to estimate effect sizes and meta-regression to test for potential sources of heterogeneity.

Results

We included 39 studies with 476,443 chronic hepatitis C patients. The overall treatment rate was 25.5% (CI: 21.1-30.5%) and by region 34% for Europe, 28.3% for Asia/Pacific, and 1

SUBMITTER: Vutien P 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5587234 | biostudies-literature | 2017

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature