Years of potential life lost due to hepatitis B with or without Delta agent in the Kyrgyz Republic

Recent studies indicate that a marked percentage of chronic viral hepatitis B patients is coinfected with hepatitis D virus known to accelerate the progression of liver disease and contribute to unfavourable disease outcome. Data on premature mortality assessed by the Lost Years of Potential Life (LYPL) indicator, provide the most accurate social burden estimate for such coinfection able to contribute to strengthening viral hepatitis control measures. The aim of the study was to conducting comparative LYPL analyses due to acute and chronic hepatitis B infection without and with delta agent in the Kyrgyz Republic in the years 2014–2018. Materials and methods. LYPL magnitude was calculated using the number of recorded deaths in the reporting form of the 2014–2018 National Statistics Committee «C51-Distribution of deaths by sex, age groups and causes of death». Results. In 2014–2018, 145 cases of death of patients with viral hepatitis B without (HB) and with a delta agent (D) were registered in the Kyrgyz Republic. Of these, 66% (96/145) of patients died from hepatitis B, of which a third (32/96) had an acute disease course. And among those who died from hepatitis D (19/49), acute course was registered in 39%. LYPL for the 145 deceased patients totaled 3766 years, of which 63% (2365 years) were due to HB. Despite that only 35% of patients (51/145) died from acute forms of such hepatitides, their LYPL accounted for 52% (1968) of total years lost that decreased by 4.5-fold for 2014–2018 due to AHB (6.3‰ and 1.41‰, 2014 and 2018, respectively) but increased by 1.1-fold due to AHD (2.7‰ and 3.1‰, 2014 and 2018, respectively). Chronic hepatitis B vs CHD resulted in 1.6 times higher LYPL magnitude (1108 and 691, respectively). At the same time, LYPL due to CHB dynamically increased by 2.6 times, whereas due to CHD — by 6.3 times. Сonclusion. The high LYPL level due to hepatitis B and D infection related to pediatric cases evidence about a heavy burden of such diseases in the Kyrgyz Republic. The data obtained prove that it is necessary to increase adherence of adult population to hepatitis B vaccination and examine children at the site of infection, regardless of vaccination history. Abruptly increased LYPL due to chronic hepatitis cases requires strengthening secondary prevention measures and ensuring timely access to specialized care at infection sites. It is also necessary to evaluate epidemiological surveillance after fatal viral hepatitis.