Prevalence of hepatitis C among multi-transfused thalassaemic patients in Oman single centre experience

ABSTRACT

Regular blood transfusions are essential for patients with thalassaemia major. However, infections with hepatotropic viruses remain a major concern. The objective of this study was to evaluate the prevalence and characteristics of hepatitis C viral [HCV] infection among patients with homozygous beta thalassaemia in a single centre in Oman. A retrospective chart review of 200 patients treated at the Thalassemia Unit of Sultan Qaboos University Hospital [SQUH] in Muscat, Oman, between August 1991 and December 2011 was performed. Relevant demographic and clinical characteristics were collected, including age, gender, HCV status and the presence of endocrinopathies. A total of 81 patients [41%] were found to be anti-HCV-antibody [anti-HCV]-positive. HCV ribonucleic acid tests were performed on 65 anti-HCV-positive patients and were positive among 33 [51%]; the remaining 16 patients died before these tests were available. Anti-HCV-positive patients were significantly older than anti-HCV-negative patients [P <0.001] and were more likely to be diabetic than anti-HCV-negative patients [27% versus 8%; P <0.001]. A total of 100 patients had been transfused before they were transferred to SQUH in 1991; of these, 70 [70%] were anti-HCV-positive. Only 11 [11.5%] of the 96 patients who were seronegative in 1991, or who were transfused later, became seropositive. It is likely that the high prevalence of HCV among multi-transfused thalassaemic patients in Oman is due to blood transfusions dating from before the implementation of HCV screening in 1991 as the risk of HCV-associated transfusions has significantly reduced since then. Additionally, results showed that anti-HCV-positive patients were more likely to be diabetic than anti-HCV-negative patients