# Relationship Between Hepatitis C Infection and Treatment Status and Coronavirus Disease 2019–Related Hospitalizations in Georgia

## TL;DR

This study found that treating hepatitis C before getting COVID-19 may lower the chance of being hospitalized for the virus.

## Contribution

The study shows that HCV treatment is linked to reduced hospitalization odds for COVID-19 in Georgia.

## Key findings

- Treated HCV individuals had lower odds of hospitalization for COVID-19.
- Untreated HCV-viremic individuals had higher odds of hospitalization.
- HCV treatment before infection reduced hospitalization risk during the pandemic.

## Abstract

The aim of this study was to evaluate the impact of hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection and treatment status on coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19)–related hospitalizations in Georgia.

We analyzed 2020–2021 Georgian health registry data for COVID-19–positive individuals and categorized the data by HCV infection and treatment status. Logistic regression was used to assess the strengths of the associations.

Treated individuals with HCV had lower odds of COVID-19–related hospitalization compared to anti-HCV-negative individuals, while untreated HCV-viremic and anti-HCV-positive nonviremic individuals had higher odds.

HCV treatment prior to COVID-19 infection was associated with lower odds of COVID-19–related hospitalization, highlighting the benefits of HCV management in the context of the pandemic.

This Georgian population-based registry study indicates that hepatitis C virus (HCV)–positive individuals treated with direct-acting antivirals may have reduced odds of COVID-19–related hospitalization compared with those who remained untreated for HCV or tested HCV negative.