Publications by authors named "Andy Bathgate"
Article Synopsis
- The study aimed to assess mortality rates in patients treated for hepatitis C using modern interferon-free, direct-acting antivirals and compare them to the general populace.
- A total of 21,790 patients treated between 2014 and 2019 were analyzed, categorized by liver disease severity, with follow-up ending either at death or by the end of 2019.
- Results showed a 7% mortality rate during follow-up, with deaths primarily from drug-related issues, liver failure, and liver cancer, and overall mortality rates significantly exceeded those of the general population, especially for patients with more advanced liver disease.
Background & Aims: Previous studies have reported a high frequency of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) occurrence in patients with advanced liver disease, after receipt of interferon (IFN)-free therapy for hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection. Our objective was to verify and account for this phenomenon using data from the Scottish HCV clinical database.
Methods: We identified HCC-naïve individuals with liver cirrhosis receiving a course of antiviral therapy in Scotland from 1997-2016 resulting in a sustained virologic response.