Abstract
Aim: To determine the effects of antiviral medicines in hepatitis C infected patients and prevalence of complications associated to antiviral therapy.
Study Design: Prospective study.
Place and Duration: This study was conducted at Nawaz Sharif Social Security Teaching Hospital, Lahore/University College of Medicine and Dentistry, University of Lahore from 01-06-2017 to 30-05-2018.
Methods: In this study, one hundred and thirty five Hepatitis C patients of both genders were included. Patient's ages were ranging from 25 to 65 years. After taking informed consent from all the patients, detailed medical history including age, sex, and residency and education level was examine. Quantitative PCR test was obtained before start antiviral therapy, all the patients was diagnoses by Kit method. Treatment response was examined after complete of therapy.
Results: Out of all the 135 patients, 82 (60.74%) patients were males while 53 (39.26%) patients were females. 24 (17.78%) patients were ages between 25 to 34 years, 55 (40.74%) patients had ages 35 to 44 years, 39 (28.89%) patients were ages 45 to 54 years and 17 (12.60%) patients had ages >54 years. At the end of treatment, 127 (94.07%) patients treated successfully while 8 patients were not cured. Complications associated to therapy were noted as anemia, ascites, hepatic encephalopathy and liver cirrhosis in 34, 19, 8 and 5 patients.
Conclusion: In this study, we concluded that antiviral therapy of Hepatitis C infected patient's shows better results followed to cured rate. Anemia was the most frequent complication found at end of therapy.