Z Gastroenterol 2015; 53 - A2_20
DOI: 10.1055/s-0035-1567992

Pre-existing co-morbidities and co-medications of patients undergoing treatment of chronic HCV G1 infection in German real-life

P Buggisch 1, H Löhr 2, G Teuber 3, H Steffens 4, M Kraus 5, P Geyer 6, B Weber 7, T Witthöft 8, U Naumann 9, E Zehnter 10, D Hartmann 11, B Dreher 11, M Bilzer 11
  • 1IFI Institute, Hamburg, Germany
  • 2Gastroenterological Practice, Wiesbaden, Germany
  • 3Gastroenterological Practice, Frankfurt, Germany
  • 4Practice of internal Medicine, Berlin, Germany
  • 5Klinium Burghausen, Burghausen, Germany
  • 6Gastroenterological Practice, Fulda, Germany
  • 7Competence Center Addiction, Kassel, Germany
  • 8Gastroenterological Practice, Stade, Germany
  • 9Center of Medicine, Berlin, Germany
  • 10Gastroenterological Practice, Dortmund, Germany
  • 11MSD Pharma GmbH, Haar, Germany

Background: Information about co-morbidities of patients (pts) currently treated for chronic HCV genotype 1 (G1) infection in real-life is scarce. The present interim analysis of the NOVUS observational study was therefore aimed to investigate the frequency of pre-existing and ongoing co-morbidities of pts treated for chronic HCV G1 infection in German real-life and to determine the frequency of co-medications.

Methods: From April 2012 until January 2014, 536 pts with HCV G1 infection were recruited in the ongoing NOVUS study by 97 practices and hospitals in Germany. Until now, pre-existing co-morbidities before triple therapy of HCV G1 infection with boceprevir (BOC) were documented for 469 pts.

Results: Ongoing co-morbidities were reported for 329 of 469 pts (70%) before treatment of HCV G1 infection. Overall, 599 ongoing co-morbidities (multiple answers allowed) were documented. The most frequently reported co-morbidities were obesity (BMI > 30 kg/m2) (19%), cardiovascular diseases (18%), psychiatric disorders (14%), opiate substitution (13%), gastrointestinal diseases (11%), metabolic disorders (8%), thyroid gland diseases (7%), bone and joint diseases (6%), skin diseases (5%), HIV-co-infection (4%) and kidney diseases (2%). When co-morbidities were analyzed by gender (female vs. male), thyroid diseases occurred more frequently in females (13% vs. 3%, P < 0.0001), while opiate substitution (9% vs. 15%, P < 0.04) and HIV- co-infection (1% vs. 6%, P < 0.01) occurred less frequently in female pts. Regarding age (< 50 vs. > 50 years), cardiovascular (9% vs. 28%, P < 0.0001), thyroid (3% vs. 12%, P = 0.0002) and kidney diseases (0.4% vs. 5%, P = 0.0025) were more frequently reported in pts elder than 50 years, while opiate dependence (20% vs. 4%, P < 0.0001) and HIV-co-infections (6% vs. 1%) were less frequently reported in elder pts. Co-medications were documented for 233 of 469 pts (50%). According to the frequency of co-morbidities, 39% of overall 564 co-medications were related to treatment of neuropsychiatric disorders including opiate dependency, 19% were cardiovascular drugs, 14% were agents for gastrointestinal and metabolic diseases and 6% for thyroid diseases. 64 co-medications in 48 pts had the potential to interact with BOC.

Conclusions: The present analysis demonstrates that preexisting co-morbidities are a frequent problem in pts undergoing treatment of HCV G1 infection in German real-life and that several co-morbidities are related to gender or age. As a consequence, there is a high frequency of co-medications which needs attention with regard to possible interactions with direct-acting antivirals.

Corresponding author: Bilzer, Manfred

E-Mail: manfred.bilzer@bilzer-consulting.de