The HCV Sicily Network: a web-based model for the management of HCV chronic liver diseases

OBJECTIVE: Epidemiological studies report that in Sicily reside about 30,000 citizens with a diagnosis of chronic hepatitis dueto HCV. The availability of direct antiviral action(DAA) is a real therapeutic breakthrough, but thehigh cost of the therapeutic regimes limits theiruse and forced the National Health System to establishclinical priority for the treatment.MATERIALS AND METHODS: The HCV Sicily Network is a web-based model of best medicalpractice, which was designed to improve themanagement and the treatment of HCV chronic hepatitis and cirrhosis.The network includes 41 centers and 84 gastroenterologistsor infectivologists connected by a web platform that recorder the diagnosisand the clinic priority for the therapy.RESULTS: From March 2015 to September 2016, 9,965 patients (57% male, mean age 61 years, 34% with age over 70 years) have been recorded in the web platform, 3,319 patients completed the treatment, and 1,754 completed the 12 weeks of follow-up.The Sustained Virological Response (SVR)was achieved in 1,541 patients (87.8%), while 136patients (7.7%) 77 patients (4.5%) experienced a virological relapse during the 12 weeks of follow-up.CONCLUSIONS: The HCV Sicily Network is an excellent system for the Regional Department of Health that can have a real estimation of patients that received an efficacy, but high-cost therapy.