Hepatitis C Virus Infection and COVID-19 Inpatient Mortality

Background The impact of chronic HCV infection on outcomes in patients with COVID-19 remains unclear as studies have showed mixed results. We aimed to determine if HCV infection impacted outcomes in COVID-19 hospitalizations. Methods We retrospectively assessed hospitalizations for COVID-19 in the year 2020 using the National Inpatient Sample database. ICD-10 codes were used to establish a primary diagnosis of COVID-19 and to determine patients with a history of HCV infection. Outcomes were compared between those with and without a history of HCV using logistical regression analysis, controlled for age, sex, and Charlson Comorbidity Index. Results A total of 1,050,720 hospitalizations for COVID-19 were identified, 8040 (0.8%) of which occurred in individuals with a diagnosis of HCV infection. Mortality (OR = 1.04; 95% CI, 0.90–1.22; P = 0.549) and intubation (OR = 1.14; 95% CI, 0.98–1.33, P = 0.092) rates were not significantly increased in patients with a diagnosis of HCV after adjusting for confounders. Mortality was increased in the HCV cohort when it was restricted to those with cirrhosis (adjusted OR = 1.42; 95% CI, 1.05–1.91; P = 0.023) and decompensated cirrhosis (adjusted OR = 2.38; 95% CI, 1.51–3.76, P < 0.001). Conclusions Whereas cirrhosis was associated with mortality in those hospitalized with COVID-19, HCV in the absence of cirrhosis was not a risk factor for COVID-19 mortality.