Effectiveness of treatment in patients with chronic viral hepatitis C in Assisted Treatment Service in the State of São Paulo

• Grant number: 12/51801-0
• Support Opportunities: Research Grants - Research in Public Policies for the National Health Care System (PP-SUS)
• Start date: July 01, 2013
• End date: January 31, 2016
• Field of knowledge: Health Sciences - Collective Health
• Agreement: CNPq - PPSUS
• Principal Investigator: Gerusa Maria Figueiredo
• Grantee: Gerusa Maria Figueiredo
• Host Institution: Instituto de Medicina Tropical de São Paulo (IMT). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). São Paulo , SP, Brazil

Abstract

Hepatitis C virus infection is being considered a challenge for the health system due to the chronic carriers who became infected while receiving blood transfusion before the establishment of serological screening in blood banks or through other forms of parenteral transmission. Treatment of this infection has been established and refined since the late 90s of last century. The treatment available in the Brazilian Unified Health System (Sistema Único de Saúde - SUS) is based on Pegilated interferon and ribavirin, which is costly, with significant side effects and efficacy ranging from 40 to 80% depending on factors related to the patient and virus. International studies have indicated that appropriate treatment adherence is influenced by several factors specially the individual treatment monitoring form. This approach is being pursued with the implementation of the Assisted Treatment Services (Serviços de Tratamento Assistido - STA), which can have a positive impact on adherence and management of adverse events, thus improving response rate. This study aims to evaluate the effectiveness of 'real life' current treatment of chronic hepatitis C in patients treated and not treated in the routine Assisted Treatment Services (ATS) network of the State of São Paulo. It also aims to support this structure form of patient care in the treatment of chronic hepatitis C patients, which strengthens their adherence to treatment. The possible introduction of protease inhibitors in combination with peguilated interferon alpha and ribavirin will result in increased side effects and this should occur from the perspective of services structured in this logic. (AU)