29. Clinical Presentation of Hepatitis C Virus in Urban and Rural Patients
Marifat Shah
ABSTRACT
Objective: The objective of this study was to determine the clinical presentation of hepatitis C and comparison of these features of hepatitis C among urban and rural areas.
Study Design: Descriptive / Cross sectional study
Place and Duration of Study: This study was conducted at the Jinnah Teaching Hospital attached to the Jinnah Medical College, Peshawar from October, 2017 to December, 2018
Materials and Methods: This cross sectional descriptive study was conducted on 100 consecutive patients. The participants were diagnosed for hepatitis C by suggesting Anti-HCV antibody through immune chromatographic technique (ICT) followed by ELISA and PCR (qualitative) to confirm; and ultrasound abdomen to detect ascites and any hepatic parenchymal changes. Patient’s names, age, sex, marital status, address (rural and urban) and clinical presentations were recorded. Descriptive statistics were calculated in SPSS 20.0.
Results: Comparison was made for clinical presentations of Hepatitis C between rural and urban areas using chi-square test. P-value
0.05 was considered significant. Male were n=40(40%) and female were n=60(60%). The mean age was 41.78±14.19 years. The age ranged from 17 to 75 years. Most of the participants were married n=95(95%). The clinical presentation of hepatitis C were generalized body aches, jaundice, lethargy, fever, arthralgia, ascites, and malaise etc. The most common presentation of hepatitis C in our sample was generalized body aches n=45(45%). Of total the n=7(7%) cases reported arthralgia. Jaundice was found in n=5(5%) participants. Lethargy was found in n=7(7%) cases. Five (5%) cases presented with ascites. Malaise was reported by 7 cases. Nine (9%) cases were asymptomatic.
Conclusion: The difference in clinical presentations of hepatitis C between urban and rural areas was not statistically significant (P>0.05). This showed that the main role in clinical presentation of Hepatitis C is genetic and environment may have fewer roles.
Key Words: Hepatitis C, clinical presentations, rural, urban
Citation of articles: Shah M. Clinical Presentation of Hepatitis C Virus in Urban and Rural Patients. Med Forum 2019;30(5):113-116.