Hepatitis B Core-Related Antigen Point-of-Care Tests as a Risk Stratification Tool for Treatment Eligibility: Experience From Kenya - Summary - MDSpire
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Hepatitis B Core-Related Antigen Point-of-Care Tests as a Risk Stratification Tool for Treatment Eligibility: Experience From Kenya
To evaluate the performance of a point-of-care test (POCT) for hepatitis B core-related antigen (HBcrAg) in assessing treatment eligibility among adults with hepatitis B virus in Kilifi, Kenya, highlighting its potential impact on patient management.
Key Findings:
HBcrAg POCT was positive in 14% of participants, with a higher positivity rate in men (24%) compared to women (7%).
Positive HBcrAg results correlated with younger age and higher ALT levels (P < .05).
The POCT demonstrated a turnaround time of approximately 40 minutes and was reported as easy to perform by laboratory personnel.
Interpretation:
The HBcrAg POCT shows promise as a rapid, accessible alternative for assessing treatment eligibility in low-resource settings, potentially improving patient management in the context of hepatitis B, warranting further investigation into its broader applicability.
Limitations:
The study was conducted in a single location, limiting generalizability and potential biases in participant selection.
The sample size was relatively small, which may affect the robustness of the findings and the ability to detect significant differences.
Conclusion:
The HBcrAg POCT could facilitate timely treatment decisions for hepatitis B in resource-limited settings, aligning with updated WHO guidelines and suggesting avenues for future research to validate its effectiveness.
by Louise O Downs, Dorcas Okanda, Oscar Chirro, Mwanakombo Zaharani, Benson Safari, Nadia Aliyan, Monique I Andersson, Yasuhito Tanaka, Anthony O Etyang, Yusuke Shimakawa, George Githinji, Philippa C Matthews
