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. 2023 Aug 30;59(9):1577.
doi: 10.3390/medicina59091577.

Genotype Distribution and Characteristics of Chronic Hepatitis C Infection in Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, and Ukraine: The RESPOND-C Study

Ligita Jančorienė  1 , Baiba Rozentāle  2 , Ieva Tolmane  2   3 , Agita Jēruma  2   4 , Riina Salupere  5 , Arida Buivydienė  6   7 , Jonas Valantinas  6   7 , Limas Kupčinskas  8 , Jolanta Šumskienė  8 , Eglė Čiupkevičienė  8   9 , Arvydas Ambrozaitis  1 , Olga Golubovska  10 , Larysa Moroz  11 , Robert Flisiak  12 , Borys Bondar  13
Affiliations

Genotype Distribution and Characteristics of Chronic Hepatitis C Infection in Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, and Ukraine: The RESPOND-C Study

Ligita Jančorienė et al. Medicina (Kaunas). .

Abstract

Background and objectives: Since 2013, highly effective direct-acting antiviral (DAA) treatment for chronic hepatitis C (CHC) has become available, with cure rates exceeding 95%. For the choice of optimal CHC treatment, an assessment of the hepatitis C virus (HCV) genotype (GT) and liver fibrosis stage is necessary. Information about the distribution of these parameters among CHC patients in Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania (the Baltic states) and especially in Ukraine is scarce. This study was performed to obtain epidemiologic data regarding CHC GT and fibrosis stage distribution for better planning of resources and prioritization of patients for DAA drug treatment according to disease severity in high-income (the Baltic states) and lower-middle-income (Ukraine) countries. Materials and methods: The retrospective RESPOND-C study included 1451 CHC patients. Demographic and disease information was collected from medical charts for each patient. Results: The most common suspected mode of viral transmission was blood transfusions (17.8%), followed by intravenous substance use (15.7%); however, in 50.9% of patients, the exact mode of transmission was not clarified. In Ukraine (18.4%) and Estonia (26%), transmission by intravenous substance use was higher than in Lithuania (5%) and Latvia (5.3%). Distribution of HCV GT among patients with CHC was as follows: GT1-66.4%; GT3-28.1; and GT2-4.1%. The prevalence of GT1 was the highest in Latvia (84%) and the lowest in Ukraine (63%, p < 0.001). Liver fibrosis stages were distributed as follows: F0-12.2%, F1-26.3%, F2-23.5%, F3-17.1%, and F4-20.9%. Cirrhosis (F4) was more prevalent in Lithuanian patients (30.1%) than in Estonians (8.1%, p < 0.001). Conclusions: This study contributes to the knowledge of epidemiologic characteristics of HCV infection in the Baltic states and Ukraine. The data regarding the patterns of HCV GT and fibrosis stage distribution will be helpful for the development of national strategies to control HCV infection in the era of DAA therapy.

Keywords: Baltic states; Ukraine; chronic hepatitis C; fibrosis stage; genotype; routes of infection.

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Conflict of interest statement

AbbVie sponsored the study, contributed to its design, collection, analysis, and interpretation of the data, and participated in the writing, review, and approval of the manuscript. All authors had access to relevant data. Ligita Jancoriene: consultant, speaker for AbbVie, Merck, Sharp & Dohme, and Pfizer, KRKA, Mylan Healthcare, and Tamro; has received travel grants from Abbvie, MSD, Pfizer, and Swixx Biopharma. Baiba Rozentale: no conflicts of interest. Ieva Tolmane: consultant, advisor, speaker for or received research/grant support from AbbVie, Merck, Janssen, Roche, and Gilead. Agita Jeruma: consultant, advisor, speaker for or received research/grant support from AbbVie and MSD. Riina Salupere: consultant, advisor, speaker for or received research/grant support from AbbVie, Gilead, MSD, Janssen, and Intercept Pharma. Arida Buivydiene: speaker for and received research support from AbbVie. Jonas Valantinas: consultant, advisor, speaker for or received research/grant support from AbbVie, Mylan, and Menarini. Limas Kupčinskas: consultant, advisor, and speaker for or received research/grant support from AbbVie and Johnson & Johnson. Jolanta Sumskiene: advisor, researcher, and consultant for AbbVie, Merck, and Roche. Eglė Čiupkevičienė: no conflicts of interest. Arvydas Ambrozaitis: consultant and lecturer for Janssen, Merck, and AbbVie and research support from Gilead Sciences. Olga Golubovska: speaker for or research/grant support from AbbVie, MSD, and Gilead. Larysa Moroz: advisor for or research support from AbbVie, Gilead, MSD, Roche, and Bristol-Myers Squibb. Robert Flisiak: consultant, advisor, speaker for or received research/grant support from AbbVie, Gilead, Merck, and Roche. Borys Bondar: employee of AbbVie and may hold company stock/options.

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