Thyroid Disease and Hepatitis C Treatment Success
Author Information
Author(s): Tran Huy A, Jones Tracey L, Gibson Robert, Reeves Glenn EM
Primary Institution: Hunter Area Pathology Service and University of Newcastle
Hypothesis
Does the development of autoimmune thyroid disease during hepatitis C treatment improve the chances of achieving sustained virologic response?
Conclusion
The development of thyroid disease during hepatitis C treatment is associated with a significantly increased chance of achieving sustained virologic response.
Supporting Evidence
- Sustained virologic response was observed in 84.2% of patients who developed thyroid disease compared to 53.9% in those who did not.
- The odds ratio for achieving sustained virologic response with thyroid disease was 6.0.
- All genotype 3 patients who developed thyroid disease achieved sustained virologic response.
Takeaway
If you get thyroid disease while being treated for hepatitis C, you might have a better chance of getting better from the virus.
Methodology
A nested case-control study comparing 19 patients with thyroid disease to 76 matched controls who did not develop thyroid disease during hepatitis C treatment.
Potential Biases
Potential confounding factors related to the different types of interferon used and genetic variations.
Limitations
The small sample size due to the low prevalence of thyroid disease in this context.
Participant Demographics
Patients were matched for age, gender, weight, cirrhosis status, and aminotransferase levels.
Statistical Information
P-Value
p<0.05
Confidence Interval
1.5 to 24.6
Statistical Significance
p<0.05
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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