studies

1098A AASLD ABSTRACTS HEPATOLOGY, October, 2015
1823
Age and Risk Factor-based Serologic Screening for Hepatitis
C Virus among an Urban High-risk Population
Rositsa B. Dimova 2,3 , Anthony D. Martinez 2,1 , Ethan Weinberg 4 ,
Ann Drobnik 5 , Andrew H. Talal 2,1 ; 1 Division of Gastroenterology,
Dept of Medicine, SUNY-Buffalo, Buffalo, NY; 2 Center for Clinical
Care and Research in Liver Disease, University at Buffalo, Buffalo,
NY; 3 Department of Biostatistics, University at Buffalo, Buffalo,
NY; 4 Department of Medicine, Weill Cornell Medical College,
New York, NY; 5 New York City Department of Health and Mental
Hygeine, New York, NY
Background and aims: Hepatitis C virus (HCV) screening
among individuals born between 1945 and 1965 (i.e. birth
cohort) has been proposed to augment risk factor-based screening.
Among an urban, high-risk population, we compared the
frequency of HCV seropositivity among injection drug users
(IDUs) and birth cohort members. Methods: We assessed HCV
seropositivity in 7722 subjects from New York City drawn from
HIV prevention programs, syringe exchange programs, drug
treatment programs, and community health centers. HCV serology
was assessed by immunoblot and data analysis employed
logistic regression. Results: Mean age was 40.7 years, standard
deviation (SD) 10.9 years, 47.4% were born between
1945-1965, 81.2% were born in the US, 70.3% were male,
53% were African American, 21.5% were Caucasian, 36.8%
reported history of injection drug use, and 9.8% were HIV
infected. Among men, 12.4% were men who had sex with
men (MSM). Most participants were from HIV (72.7%) and substance
use (56.4%) treatment sites. Overall, 26.6% were HCV
seropositive, 55.8% of whom were born between 1945 and
1965, and 82.2% had ever injected drugs. Among all participants,
HCV seropositivity was significantly higher among IDUs
than non-IDUs (60.5% versus 7.7%, odds ratio (OR) = 18.5,
95% confidence interval (CI) [16.2, 21.1], p