Abstract
BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Although usually asymptomatic, many chronic hepatitis C patients have extrahepatic manifestations and impaired health-related quality of life (HRQOL), while hepatitis B virus (HBV) patients have normal or nearly normal HRQOL. The aim of this study was to investigate HRQOL in Saudi patients infected with hepatitis C virus (HCV) in comparison with patients infected with HBV in an effort to document the prevalence of and find factors associated with reduced HRQOL in these patients. DESIGN AND SETTING: A prospective study that enrolled patients attending a tertiary care referral hepatology clinic in Riyadh from the period of February to July 2008. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Consecutive patients who had a confirmed diagnosis of hepatitis C or hepatitis B were asked to fill out the SF-36 questionnaire. Information on epidemiological, educational, economic, and social parameters was collected. All clinical, laboratory, and available histological data were recorded. RESULTS: Two hundred and twenty patients (107 with hepatitis B and 113 with hepatitis C) satisfied the inclusion criteria and participated in this study. Overall, 45% were men, and the average age was 41.6 (18.1) years. Patients with HCV had significantly lower scores in "physical functioning," "role limitations due to physical functioning," "social functioning," and "bodily pain." No significant differences in other parameters were observed. Various epidemiological and laboratory parameters were correlated with different HRQOL domains. CONCLUSIONS: Saudi hepatitis C patients showed significantly lower HRQOL scores in various domains compared to hepatitis B patients.