PREVALENCE AND RISK-FACTORS FOR HEPATITIS-C INFECTION IN A HOSPITALIZED POPULATION IN GASTROENTEROLOGY - ROLE OF PERENDOSCOPIC BIOPSIES

Objectives and methods. - In order to study the prevalence and risk factors of HCV infection in a population hospitalized in a Gastroenterology Unit, 3, 767 patients were tested for serum anti-HCV, and 2,607 filled out a questionnaire about risk factors. Results. - With the RIBA 2 test, the overall prevalence was 5.9 %. Because of the age distribution, two populations. lions were studied. In patients younger than 45, intravenous drug use was the only independent risk factor linked to serum anti-HCV positivity (Odds ratio: 151, CI 95 %: 66.9-340). In patients older than 45, the independent risk factors were chronic liver disease (Odds ratio: 8.5, CI 95 %: 4.4-16.8), per-endoscopic biopsies (Odds ratio 2.7, CI 95 %: 1.4-5.4), and blood transfusions (Odds ratio: 1.8, CI 95 %: 0.9-3.5). Two variables were dominant for the entire population: IV drug use and chronic liver disease. In patients without these factors, only one risk factor was linked to serum anti-HCV positivity: perendoscopic biopsies (Odds ratio: 5.2, CI 95 %: 1.6-16.5). Conclusion. - These results suggest that HCV may be transmitted by perendoscopic biopsies.