Higher Hepatitis C Virus Cure Rates Seen With Facilitated Telemedicine

FRIDAY, April 12, 2024 (HealthDay News) -- Significantly higher hepatitis C virus cure rates are seen for patients receiving opioid treatment program-integrated facilitated telemedicine versus off-site hepatitis specialist referral, according to a study published online April 3 in the Journal of the American Medical Association.

Andrew H. Talal, M.D., M.P.H., from the Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences at the University at Buffalo in New York, and colleagues compared sustained virologic responses for hepatitis C virus among 602 hepatitis C-infected persons with opioid use disorder treated through facilitated telemedicine integrated into opioid treatment programs versus off-site hepatitis specialist referral in a cluster randomized clinical trial (290 and 312 patients, respectively).

The researchers found that 92.4 and 40.4 percent of patients in the telemedicine and referral groups, respectively, initiated treatment. Intention-to-treat cure percentages were 90.3 and 39.4 percent in the telemedicine and referral groups, respectively, with an estimated logarithmic odds ratio of 2.9 for the study group effect, with no effect modification. The observed cure percentages were 84.8 and 34.0 percent in the telemedicine and referral groups, respectively. Subgroup effects were not found to be significant, including fibrosis stage, urban or rural residence, or mental health comorbid conditions. There was a significant decrease seen in illicit drug use among cured participants (95 percent for both the telemedicine and referral group). There were minimal reinfections (13), with an incidence of 2.5 per 100 person-years for hepatitis C virus reinfection. In both groups, health care delivery satisfaction was rated as high or very high.

"Opioid treatment program-integrated facilitated telemedicine promotes increased access and integrates hepatitis C virus treatment into venues that offer opioid use disorder treatment," the authors write.

One author disclosed ties to the pharmaceutical industry.

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