Universal HCV Screening in Hospitalised Patients in France: It Could Be a Good Option! The DEVICHO Study

In France, chronic hepatitis C whatever fibrosis stage or comorbidities can be freely treated by any physician. However, screening is still currently based on risk factors, and universal screening remains controversial. The aims of this prospective DEVICHO study were to assess the value of universal screening in hospitalised patients, to evaluate the prevalence of HCV infection and to compare the short-term cost and benefit of this strategy with routine screening. From November 2019 to November 2021, all hospitalised patients from 22 departments were asked by their physicians to be tested for HCV. 4986/25,663 (19.4%) in the DEVICHO study (Group 1) and 1803 patients (7%) outside the study (Group 2) were screened. HCV screening rate varied widely (0%–75.1%) between departments. One hundred and ninety-nine patients (2.9%) were HCV-Ab positive. 29/199 HCV-Ab positive patients (14.6%) or 29/6789 patients tested (0.4%) were HCV-RNA positive. Among the 29 viremic patients, 9 (31%) were treated, all achieving sustained virological response, but two patients died rapidly after treatment. Seventeen patients died untreated within a year of diagnosis, and three patients were not treated. Universal screening compared to routine practice would be more expensive and more effective, resulting in an additional cost of €11,060 per HCV RNA infection identified and €36,600 per HCV cure, both below the GDP per capita of France (€38,000, Eurostat 2023). Even if the population screened is older, often with significant comorbidities, hospital-based HCV screening is efficient because its prevalence is higher in hospitalised patients than in the general population. Additionally, this screening strategy appears to be cost effective. However, healthcare professionals and insufficient linkage to care are the main barriers to screening.

Trial Registration: ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NTC 04437277