QUANTITATIVE ANALYSIS OF HCV VIRAL LOAD IN CHRONIC HEPATITIS C PATIENTS IN WESTERN UTTAR PRADESH

Abstract

Background: Human hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection is very bad for health in developing countries. Understanding viral load distribution and its association with demographic and clinical factors is essential for effective disease management. Aim: The present study aimed to assess the distribution of HCV viral load and its association with demographic and clinical risk factors among patients with chronic hepatitis C in Western Uttar Pradesh. Methods: There were 409 participants in the cross-sectional study was done in a hospital. Structured proforma was used to gather clinical and demographic data. Real-time RT-PCR was used to detect and quantify HCV RNA. The viral load was classified as high (>6×10¹ IU/mL), moderate (2×10³–6×10¹ IU/mL), and low (<2×10³ IU/mL). In this study, statistics were done with SPSS version 26.0, and associations were analyzed at with non-parametric and chi-square tests. Results: Among participants, 57.5% were females and 42.5% were males. The majority belonged to the 20–39 years (38.9%) and 40–59 years (37.4%) age groups. HCV RNA was detectable in 52.4% of cases. No significant association was seen between viral load and gender (p = 0.91) or age (p = 0.92). However, significant associations were found with alcohol use (p = 0.023), smoking (p = 0.046), and combined alcohol and smoking exposure (p = 0.004), which were linked to higher viral load levels. Comorbidities such as hypertension, diabetes, and HBsAg positivity showed no significant association, while COPD and CKD showed borderline significance. Conclusion: Alcohol consumption and smoking are significantly associated with higher HCV viral load, while age and gender show no significant effect. Such results indicate the possibility of lifestyle interventions to enhance viral outcomes in patients with HCV.