Time to decompensated cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma after an HBV or HCV notification: A population-based study

Background & Aims Delayed hepatitis B virus (HBV) or hepatitis C virus (HCV) diagnosis may increase risk of advanced liver disease complications, including decompensated cirrhosis (DC) and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). The aim of this study was to characterise “late hepatitis notification” among people with an HBV/HCV notification and advanced liver disease in New South Wales, Australia. Methods HBV/HCV notifications 1995–2012 were linked to cancer registry and hospital admissions. Late hepatitis notification was defined by a notification after, at the time, or within two years before DC/HCC diagnosis. Results HBV and HCV cohorts comprised 50,958 and 79,727 individuals, respectively. Among people with DC (n = 3869), late HBV notification declined from 64% (88/138) during 2001–2002 to 31% (46/149) in 2011–2012 (p <0.001), and late HCV notification declined from 52% (179/341) during 2001–2002 to 22% (134/605) in 2011–2012 (p <0.001). Among people with HCC (n = 1656), late HBV notification declined from 68% (59/87) during 2001–2002 to 29% (37/128) in 2011–2012 (p <0.001), and late HCV notification declined from 51% (40/79) during 2001–2002 to 17% (49/288) in 2011–2012 (p