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Heroin Addiction and Related Clinical Problems: 2018, 20, N4 (pages: 29 - 35)

Impact of Hepatitis B(Hbv)/C(Hcv) Virus Co-Infection on the Long-Term Survival of Patients with Schizophrenia and Co-Occurring Substance Use Disorders

Gimelfarb Y., Ligay A., and Ben Tzarfati M.

Summary: Background: The high rates of patients with schizophrenia and co-occurring substance use disorders signal a challenge to both clinicians and policy makers. This study aimed to examine the impact of HBV/HCV coinfection on long-term survival of subjects with schizophrenia and co-occurring substance use disorders. Methods: Charts of 263 subjects admitted from January 1, 2002 to September 30, 2006 were assessed. The Kaplan-Meier survival analysis was used to estimate the cumulative survival rates. The association between HBV/HCV and mortality was estimated using the Cox proportional-hazard regression models, with adjustments for potential confounders. Median observation time was 10.8 years. Outcome measure was all-cause mortality. Results: In patients with HBV/HCV co-infection, the all-cause mortality rate was significantly higher than that in patients with either HBV or HCV monoinfection. In Cox regression, the HBV/HCV co-infection is an independent predictor of the low survival frequency of schizophrenic patients with co-occurring substance use disorders. Conclusions: Dual infection by HBV and HCV is associated with a higher risk of low long-term survival than each infection alone, suggesting a synergism between HBV and HCV. For more accurate results, prospective studies are required. It is essential that adequate resources and strategies should now be focused on schizophrenic dual disorder patients with HBV/HCV.