Impact of age on the characteristics and medical care of chronic hepatitis C patients treated with direct-acting antivirals

Aim: Chronic hepatitis C is more severe in elderly patients. In France, Direct Acting Antiviral therapy must be implemented via multidisciplinary team meetings in regional reference centers. This study aimed to define the impact of age on hepatitis C characteristics and medical care types across three groups: 70-yo. Methods: All patients with treated hepatitis C virus mono-infection during 8 to 24 weeks were included. Group comparison was based on 21 hepatitis C characteristic and medical care variables. Results: Male predominance decreased in >50-yo (59.7% vs. 72.5%, p 70-yo (36.2%, p 50-yo (27.8% vs. 51.9%, p=0.02) and increase in transfusion and nosocomial infection to 30% in >70-yo. Advanced fibrosis increased in >50-yo (57.5% vs. 41.5%, p 70-yo affected. Psychiatric comorbidity incidence was halved in >70-yo (7.1% vs. 14.8%, p 70-yo vs. 43.8% for 70-yo. Substained virological response 12 rates did not significantly differ across the three groups. Conclusions: Age changes the characteristics and the medical care of hepatitis C, but has no impact on the cure rate.