Missed opportunities for diagnosis of hepatitis B and C in individuals diagnosed with decompensated cirrhosis or hepatocellular carcinoma

Background and Aim: This study aimed to assess utilization of health-care services in people with decompensated cirrhosis (DC) or hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and a late diagnosis of hepatitis B or hepatitis C. Methods: Hepatitis B and C cases during 1997-2016 in Victoria, Australia, were linked with hospitalizations, deaths, liver cancer diagnoses, and medical services. A late diagnosis was defined as hepatitis B or hepatitis C notification occurring after, at the same time, or within 2 years preceding an HCC/DC diagnosis. Services provided during the 10-year period before HCC/DC diagnosis were assessed, including general practitioner (GP) or specialist visits, emergency department presentations, hospital admissions, and blood tests. Results: Of the 25 766 notified cases of hepatitis B, 751 (2.9%) were diagnosed with HCC/DC, and hepatitis B was diagnosed late in 385 (51.3%). Of 44 317 cases of hepatitis C, 2576 (5.8%) were diagnosed with HCC/DC, and hepatitis C was diagnosed late in 857 (33.3%). Although late diagnosis dropped over time, missed opportunities for timely diagnosis were observed. Most people diagnosed late had visited a GP (97.4% for hepatitis B, 98.9% for hepatitis C) or had a blood test (90.9% for hepatitis B, 88.6% for hepatitis C) during the 10 years before HCC/DC diagnosis. The median number of GP visits was 24 and 32, and blood tests 7 and 8, for hepatitis B and C, respectively. Conclusions: Late diagnosis of viral hepatitis remains a concern, with the majority having frequent health-care service provision in the preceding period, indicating missed opportunities for diagnosis.

Automated summary

This study aimed to assess the utilization of health-care services in individuals with decompensated cirrhosis or hepatocellular carcinoma and a late diagnosis of hepatitis B or C. The results showed that although the late diagnosis dropped over time, there were still missed opportunities for timely diagnosis. Most individuals diagnosed late had visited a general practitioner or had a blood test during the 10 years before the diagnosis, indicating the importance of early detection.