OUTCOMES OF AN AUTOMATED ALERT SYSTEM FROM MICROBIOLOGY TO LINK DIAGNOSIS TO TREATMENT IN PATIENTS WITH HEPATITIS C VIRUS

Simplification strategies for the care circuit of patients with hepatitis C virus (HCV) are key to achieve eradication. We set up an electronic identification system for HCV serology to link diagnosis to specialist management aiming at reducing patient loss.A restrospective, single-center study in patients with HCV identified from 15/3/2020 to 15/12/2021 using an alert system from Microbiology that notified specialists of positive cases. The patient was contacted and appointed for a Fibroscan® and viral load measurement, with antiviral therapy being prescribed on the same day. We recorded origin, public health data, patient location rate, and antiviral therapy prescription.Of 174 patients identified, 171 had positive viremia, with a mean age of 59.6 ± 15.9 years, 61.5 % of males, and 81.2 % of Spanish nationals. Origin in the outpatient setting predominated (57.9 %, 99/171), particularly primary care (51/171), penitentiaries (21/171), and addiction units (14/171). In all, 43.3 % (74/171) were aware of their diagnosis. We recorded 19.4 % (20/103) of patients with F3 fibrosis and 25.2 % (26/103) with F4 fibrosis. We deemed 78.4 % (134/171) were candidates for treatment. Of these, 74.6 % (100/134) were located and initiated treatment, and all those who completed their treatment achieved a sustained viral response (96/96). We managed with this system 58.5 % (100/171) of the patients identified. The sole association found between antiviral therapy and patient variables was that of comorbidities with being untreated (OR, 7.14; p ˂ 0.001).This alert system allows to minimize loss of patients in the care circuit, and provides high rates of treated patients.