Adeyemi A Abati
Lagos University Teaching Hospital Lagos State Nigeria
Title: Hepatitis C Virus Testing and Treatment among Persons Receiving Buprenorphine In An Office -Based Program For Opioid Use Disorders In Nigeria
Biography
Biography: Adeyemi A Abati
Abstract
AIMS
In Nigeria, Hepatitis C Virus (Hcv) Infection Is Primarily Spread Through Injection Drug Use. There Is An Urgent Need To Improve Access To Care For Hcv Among Persons With Opioid Use Disorders Who Inject Drugs. The Purpose Of Our Study Was To Determine The Prevalence Of Hcv, Patient Characteristics, And Receipt Of Appropriate Care In A Sample Of Patients Treated With Buprenorphine For Their Opioid Use Disorders In A Primary Care Setting.
METHODS
This Study Used Retrospective Clinical Data From The Electronic Medical Record. Study of Population explains the Patients Receiving Buprenorphine in the study of Office Based Opioid Treatment (Obot) Clinic Within The Adult Primary Medicine Clinic At Lagos Medical Centre Between October 2008 And August 2015 Who Received A Conclusive Hcv Antibody Ab Test Within A Year Of Clinic Entry. We Compared Characteristics By Hcv Aerostats Using Pearson's Chi-Square And Provided Numbers/Percentages Receiving Appropriate Care.
RESULTS
The Sample Comprised 300 Patients. Slightly Less Than Half of All Patients (N = 134, 27.7%) Was Hcv Ab Positive, And Were Significantly More Likely to Be Older Hausas and Yoruba’s, Have Diagnoses of Post- Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) And Bipolar Disorder, Have Prior Heroin or Cocaine Use, And Be Hi V- Infected? Among The 134 Hcv Ab Positive Patients, 126 (67.7%) Had Detectable Hcv Ribonucleic Acid (RNA) Indicating Chronic Hcv Infection; Only 8 Patients (2.21%) With Chronic Hcv Infection Ever Initiated Treatment.
CONCLUSIONS
Nearly Half of Patients (47.7%) Receiving Office-Based Treatment With Buprenorphine For Their Opioid Use Disorder Had A Positive Hepatitis C Virus Antibody Screening Test, Although Initiation Of Hcv Treatment Was Nearly Non- Existent (2.21%).