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Abstract Details
Improvement of health-related quality of life and psychological well-being after HCV eradication with direct-acting antiviral agents. Real life setting data of an Italian cohort valued by Hepatitis Quality of Life Questionnaire (HQLQv2)
Health Psychol Res. 2021 Jan 20;8(3):9450. doi: 10.4081/hpr.2020.9450.eCollection 2020 Dec 30.
Gaetano Bertino1, Rosalia Ragusa2, Liberato Simone Corsaro3, Evelise Frazzetto1, Vincenzo Messina4, Lucio Inguscio5, Carlo Lai5, Marilena Maglia6, Andrea Nunnari7, Pasquale Caponnetto6
Author information
1Hepatology Unit, Policlinic "G. Rodolico", Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Catania.
2Health Technology Assessment Committee, University Hospital "G. Rodolico", Catania.
3Biologist, Master of Science in Clinical Trial Governance, University of Catania.
4Infectious Disease Unit, Azienda Ospedaliera "S. Anna e S. Sebastiano" of Caserta.
5Department of Dynamic and Clinical Psychology, University of Rome La Sapienza, Rome.
6Center of Excellence for the Acceleration of Harm Reduction (CoEHAR), Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Catania.
7School of Medicine, Course of Rehabilitation Science for Health Professions, Università di Catania, Italy.
Abstract
HCV (Hepatitis C Virus) decreases Health-Related Quality of Life with detriments to physical, mental and social health domains. Interferon and Ribavirin treatment is associated with depression and anxiety that further impairs HRQoL (Health- Related Quality of Life). IFN-free (interferon-free) regimes (Direct Acting Antivirals, DAAs) are safe and highly effective drugs, with improvement also of HRQoL and related Psychological Well-Being. Our aim is to describe how the latest generation IFN-free treatment can change quality of life and related Psychological Well-Being in Italian Chronic Hepatitis C/Cirrhosis affected patients. SF-36v2 (Short Form Health Survey is a 36-item, patient-reported survey of patient health) - HQLQv2 (Hepatitis Quality of Life Questionnaire) was administered at two time points: baseline (n=72) and 12 weeks after the end of therapy [n=72, SVR=72 - Sustained Virologic Response (SVR)]. Patients with chronic HCV undergoing DAAs treatment from two Italian centers were enrolled. The overall average of the answers is configured for most of the domains that make up the questionnaire, with scores above 50. The quality of life of this sample is very close to the average of the US population, with a minimum average score of 45.9 for the Role Emotional scale and an average maximum score of 56.4 for the Vitality scale. Both are significant results from statistical analysis. It seems that DAAs treatment therapy does not affect but improves the general quality and psychological state of adult patients with Chronic HCV infection.