First time use of PRISM, an easy to use and suitable tool to characterize burden of disease, in patients suffering from chronic Hepatitis C: Results from the German observational study LIFE-C

Background: LIFE-C is a non-interventional observational study in patients with chronic Hepatitis C (CHC) receiving Ombitasvir, Paritaprevir and Ritonavir ± Dasabuvir ± Ribavirin. Here, we report the burden of disease at baseline by analyzing the self-illness-separation (SIS) determined by Pictorial Representation of Illness and Self Measure (PRISM).

Methods: Baseline demographics (incl. PRISM, Functional Assessment of Chronic Illness Therapy fatigue subscale [FACIT-F], Work Productivity and Activity Index [WPAI:Hepatitis C V2.1], Patient Activation Measure [PAM-13]) were recorded. Correlation between SIS and continuous patient characteristics was investigated by linear regression analysis and associations with categorical characteristics by analysis of variance.

Results: 104 patients enrolled until March 31st were analysed (Table 1). The median SIS [n = 100] was 11.9 cm (IQR: 4.6 – 19.4). SIS correlated weakly with FACIT-F scores (Pearson correlation coefficient [PCC]= 0.3926 [p = 0.0003]) and total activity impairment (PCC =-0.4021 [p = 0.0002]), but no further variables, e.g. BMI. Significantly higher SIS was associated with age > 65 years (Median SIS: 18 – 65 years [n = 81]: 10 cm, 66 – 84 years [n = 19]: 17.5 cm, p = 0.0061) and the presence of co-infections (HIV [n = 8] or HBV [n = 1]; median SIS: present [n = 9]: 17.0 cm, absent [n = 91]: 11 cm, p = 0.0364), but no association was detected with other characteristics, e.g. sex, race, or viral load.

Conclusion: SIS correlated weakly positively and negatively, respectively, with FACIT-F scores and total activity impairment due to hepatitis. These weak correlations may be due to its high variability. The median score for SIS is within the range observed for Diabetes (1). PRISM is an easy to use and apparently suitable tool to determine the burden of disease in CHC patients. Data of patients recruited until October 2016 will be presented.

Reference:

[1] Klis S et al. Health Qual. Life Outcomes 6, 104 (2008).