HBV and HCV Relink Studies: 2016 to Present
Asia
- Chang, Li-Jen, et al. “Factors associated with the refusal of direct-acting antiviral agents for the treatment of hepatitis C in Taiwan.” Medicina 58.4 (2022): 521.
- Chen, Cheng-Jen, et al. “Hepatitis C micro-elimination through the retrieval strategy of patients lost to follow-up.” BMC Gastroenterology 23.1 (2023): 1-9.
- Chien, Cheng-Hung, et al. “The Challenge of a Recall Program from a Community-Based Hepatitis C Screening Campaign: The Effectiveness in HCV Microelimination.” Microorganisms 12.7 (2024): 1402.
- Gamkrelidze, Amiran, et al. “Innovative linkage model to re-engage lost-to-follow-up individuals in the national hepatitis C elimination program of Georgia.” Journal of Hepatology 75 (2021): S643-S644.
- Huang, Jee-Fu, et al. “Towards a safe hospital: hepatitis C in-hospital micro-elimination program (HCV-HELP study).” Hepatology International 16.1 (2022): 59-67.
- Yen, Hsu-Heng, et al. “Retrieval of lost patients in the system for hepatitis C microelimination: a single-center retrospective study.” BMC Gastroenterology 21.1 (2021): 209.
Australasia
Europe
- Abergel, Armand, et al. “RECONVOCC: Can we reconvene chronic hepatitis C patients who were lost to follow-up?.” Journal of Hepatology. Vol. 75. Radarweg 29, 1043 NX Amsterdam, Netherlands: Elsiever, 2021.
- Aguilera, Victoria, et al. “Efficiency of the Relink C strategy: identification and retrieval of chronic HCV patients full and partial diagnosed but unlinked to care.” Medical Research Archives 12.12 (2024).
- Almena Sereno JA, et al. Active Search for HCV Ab+ Patients Registered in the Hospital Lab: Retrieval of lost to follow-up patients from 1/2010 to 12/2020 in Badajoz, Spain AEEH 2023. 52
- Alventosa Mateu, Carlos et al. “Outcomes of an automated alert system from Microbiology to link diagnosis to treatment in patients with hepatitis C virus.” Revista Espanola de Enfermedades Digestivas vol. 115,4 (2023): 181-187. doi:10.17235/reed.2022.8716/2022
- Andaluz, Irene, et al. “Patients with hepatitis C lost to follow-up: ethical-legal aspects and search results.” Revista Espanola de Enfermadades Digestivas (REED) 112.7 (2020): 532-538.
- Balcar, Lorenz, et al. “A systematic PCR record‐based re‐call of HCV‐RNA‐positive people enables re‐linkage to care and HCV elimination in Austria—The ELIMINATE project.” Liver International 44.12 (2024): 3151-3163.
- Barclay, Stephen, et al. “Patients with hepatitis C (Redpath): a randomised controlled trial of telephone contact or offer of an incentive, in addition to a standard letter.” Journal of Hepatology 73 (2020): S328.
- Barda, Beatrice, et al. “A Retrospective Study on Hepatitis C Virus Infected Individuals Lost to Follow-Up in Ticino: The Hub and Spoke Approach.” Open Journal of Internal Medicine 12.4 (2022): 194-198.
- Beekmans, N., and M. Klemt-Kropp. “Re-evaluation of chronic hepatitis B and hepatitis C patients lost to follow-up: results of the Northern Holland hepatitis retrieval project.” Hepatology, Medicine and Policy 3.1 (2018): 1-6.
- Burgui, Cristina, et al. “Recapture of patients with an incomplete diagnosis of hepatitis C virus infection.” Revista Espanola de Enfermadades Digestivas (REED) 112.7 (2020): 525-532.
- Campos-Gonzaga L, et al. Identification of Patients Diagnosed with HCV But Not Seen by Specialists: Review of patients diagnosed with HCV and not followed up with specialists from 2006-2021 in Jerez, Cadiz, Spain. GEHEP 2022
- Chelouah S, et al. Recall of HCV Patients in a Psychiatry Hospital by Non-Specialist Prescribers: Retrospective study to evaluate screening test and treat strategy. AFEF 2022.
- Diaz Munoz R, et al. Search for Active Patients with HCV: Retrospective review of medical records of patients from 2017 to 2021. AEEH 2023.
- Dimmendaal, M., et al. “Retrieval of chronic hepatitis B patients in the Utrecht region in the Netherlands.” The Netherlands Journal of Medicine 77.6 (2019): 199-203.
- Dröse, Sandra, et al. “Retrieval of patients with hepatitis C who were lost to follow-up in Southern Denmark.” Infectious Diseases 55.5 (2023): 361-369.
- Etoori, David, et al. “Results from a retrospective case finding and re-engagement exercise for people previously diagnosed with hepatitis C virus to increase uptake of directly acting antiviral treatment.” BMC Public Health 24.1 (2024): 2427.
- Feliu‐Prius, Anna, et al. “Assessing the rate of non‐linkage to care and identifying barriers in individuals living with hepatitis B. Results of the LINK‐B study.” Liver International (2023).
- Freyre Carrillo C, et al. Search for Lost Patients Without HCV Diagnosis . Review of patients with positive HCV antibodies but without confirmatory RNA testing from 2011-2020 GEHEP 2022. P42
- Gao-Du, Y., S. Brocklesby, and L. Corless. “Case finding can successfully re-engage persons lost to follow-up and increase treatment rates in hepatitis C virus services.” Journal of Hepatology 68 (2018): S326-S327.
- Grande G, et al. Recovering Lost HCV Patients in the System: Locating and recovering HCV patients previously lost at the Hospital Regional Universitario de Málaga. AEEH 2023.
- Guerra Veloz, María Fernanda, et al. “HCV microelimination strategies: an interventional study in diagnosed patients without access to the system.” Liver International 41.5 (2021): 928-933.
- Heil, Jeanne, et al. “Retrieval and re-evaluation of previously diagnosed chronic hepatitis C infections lost to medical follow-up in the Netherlands.” European Journal of Gastroenterology & Hepatology 32.7 (2020): 851-856.
- Hernandez-Guerra M, et al. Effectiveness of ReLinking HCV RNA+ Patients to Care Through Regional Hospitals AASLD 2022. Poster #3427
- Isfordink, Cas J., et al. “Hepatitis C elimination in the Netherlands (CELINE): study protocol for nationwide retrieval of lost to follow-up patients with chronic hepatitis C.” BMJ Open Gastroenterology 7.1 (2020): e000396.
- Kemppinen, Juha, et al. “Expanding access to hepatitis C treatment by improving linkage to care: Establishing a cascade of care and active linkage program for the South Karelia region in Finland.” Health Science Reports 3.4 (2020).
- Keymeulen, Hannah, et al. “Patients with chronic hepatitis C virus infection are at high risk of being lost to follow-up: focused interventions can increase linkage to care.” Acta Gastroenterologica Belgica 83.1 (2020): 94-94.
- Kracht, Patricia AM, et al. “REtrieval And cure of Chronic Hepatitis C (REACH): results of micro‐elimination in the Utrecht province.” Liver International 39.3 (2019): 455-462.
- Lange, Sarah, et al. “ReLink strategy in diagnosed-but-untreated hepatitis C-positive patients in Germany: report from a single center.” Zeitschrift für Gastroenterologie 62.10 (2024): 1701-1707.
- Métivier, S., J. Foucher, and M. Maguin. “Recall of HCV patients lost to follow‐up. ReLink study in two expert centers in France [abstract 888].” Hepatol 72.1 (2020): 542-543.
- Mohamed, Osob, et al. “P55 Looking for a needle in a Haystack: outcomes of the surrey hepatitis C/PHE lookback exercise. Re-engaging patients in a low prevalence ODN.” (2020): A33-A34.
- Morales Arraez D, et al. Telemedicine and decentralized treatment dispensation to rescue patients in a hepatitis C micro-elimination program based on onsite driedblood spot testing in drug addiction centers. EASL 2020. THU348
- Morales-Arraez, Dalia, et al. “Reengagement strategies for hepatitis C patients lost to follow-up: A randomized clinical trial.” Hepatology Communications 7.6 (2023): e0080.
- Moreno P, et al. Recovery of HCV Patients Using an Interdisciplinary Team: Retrieval of lost to follow-up patients from Tenerife, Spain. AEEH 2023. 96
- O’Connell, Sarah, et al. “Opt-out panel testing for HIV, hepatitis B and hepatitis C in an urban emergency department: a pilot study.” PloS one 11.3 (2016): e0150546.
- Osborne, William, et al. “An experience using historical hepatitis C data to Re-Engage: Possibilities and pitfalls during the COVID-19 pandemic.” Public Health in Practice 2 (2021): 100207.
- Ponziani, Francesca Romana, et al. “Missed linkage to care for patients who screened positive for Hepatitis C in a tertiary care centre: Results of the Telepass project.” Journal of Viral Hepatitis 28.4 (2021): 651-656.
- Remy, André-Jean, et al. “Find out HCV patients: systematic study of 2013–2020 HCV files of a MDT viral hepatitis expert unit on the future of patients has made it possible to find out the lost ones and put them into treatment.” Journal of Hepatology 77 (2022): S542.
- Sampedro Andrada B, et al. Letter Sending Program for Confirmation and Treatment of Patients with Chronic HCV: AEEH 2023. 78
- Schwarz, Caroline, et al. “ELIMINATE-interim results of an Austrian HCV macro-elimination project.” Journal of Hepatology 77 (2022): S545.
- Steininger, Lisa, et al. “Direct patient-physician communication via a hepatitis C hotline facilitates treatment initiation in patients with poor adherence.” Wiener klinische Wochenschrift 133 (2021): 452-460.
- Torner, Maria, et al. “HCV micro-elimination strategy in a tertiary hospital: identification of lost cases and linkage to care.” Journal of Hepatology 78 (2023): S1192-S1193.
- Urda, José Luis Castro, et al. “The efficiency of artificial intelligence for management and clinical decision-making in the identification of patients with undiagnosed HCV infection (Intelligen-C strategy).” Gastroenterología y Hepatología (2025): 502362.
- Vargas‐Accarino, Elena, et al. “Cost‐effectiveness analysis of an active search to retrieve HCV patients lost to follow‐up (RELINK‐C strategy) and the impact of COVID‐19.” Journal of Viral Hepatitis 29.7 (2022): 579-583.
- Vargas‐Accarino, Elena, et al. “Enhancing linkage to care for hepatitis B, D, and C patients: a retrospective‐prospective study.” Alimentary Pharmacology & Therapeutics 60.10 (2024): 1308-1314.
- Vázquez, Pablo Parada, et al. “Artificial intelligence-assisted identification and retrieval of chronic hepatitis C patients lost to follow-up in the health area of Pontevedra and O Salnés (Spain).” Gastroenterología y Hepatología (English Edition) 48.1 (2025): 502226.
Middle East
North America
- Caldwell, Sylvia A. B., et al. “Year-to-Year comparison of Virginia’s Hepatitis education and patient connection referral on release program outcomes for those recently released from incarceration.” HPHR. 2022;56.10.54111/0001/DDD1
- Dever, John B., et al. “Engagement in care of high-risk hepatitis C patients with interferon-free direct-acting antiviral therapies.” Digestive Diseases and Sciences 62 (2017): 1472-1479.
- Goff, Sara, et al. “995 Lost to Follow-Up: Patients Diagnosed With Hepatitis C Virus During Pregnancy May Not Seek Postpartum Treatment.” Official journal of the American College of Gastroenterology| ACG 114 (2019): S578.
- Gormley, Mirinda Ann, et al. “No Patient Left Behind: A Novel Paradigm to Fulfill Hepatitis C Virus Treatment for Rural Patients.” Open Forum Infectious Diseases. Vol. 11. No. 5. US: Oxford University Press, 2024.
- Hyde, Zak, et al. “Evaluation of a pilot emergency department linkage to care program for patients previously diagnosed with Hepatitis C.” Journal of Viral Hepatitis 30.2 (2023): 129-137.
- McMahon, Brian J., et al. “Cascade of care for Alaska native people with chronic hepatitis C virus infection: statewide program with high linkage to care.” Clinical Infectious Diseases 70.9 (2020): 2005-2007.
- Mendoza, Denise, et al. “2503. Re-engagement in Care for Patients with Positive Hepatitis C Virus Antibody Test: A Descriptive Study at a Large University Hospital.” Open Forum Infectious Diseases. Vol. 10. No. Supplement_2. US: Oxford University Press, 2023.
- Nance, Anna R., et al. “Hepatitis C treatment at a rural Navajo health clinic using project ECHO.” Online Journal of Rural Nursing and Health Care 20.2 (2020): 133-155.
- New CDC Report Reveals Only 1/3 of Hep C Diagnoses Lead to Cures, Spotlighting a Broken System in Dire Need of Coordinated National Response
- Rammal, J-A., et al. “273 Use of an Electronic Medical Record Flag to Reconnect with Patients Lost to Follow-Up in a Hepatitis C Virus Screening Program.” Annals of Emergency Medicine 80.4 (2022): S119.
- Rowan, Sarah E., et al. “Viral hepatitis and human immunodeficiency virus testing and linkage to care for individuals enrolled in an opioid treatment program.” The Journal of Infectious Diseases 222.Supplement_5 (2020): S384-S391.
- Ruffner, Andrew H., et al. “Identifying ED patients with previous abnormal HIV or hepatitis C test results who may require additional services.” The American Journal of Emergency Medicine 38.9 (2020): 1831-1833.
- Schwartz, Jessie, et al. “Telephone patient navigation increases follow-up hepatitis B care in the postpartum period for immigrants living in New York City.” Journal of Immigrant and Minority Health 23 (2021): 1179-1186.
- Strebe, Joslyn, et al. “Patient navigation increases linkage to care and receipt of direct-acting antiviral therapy in patients with hepatitis C.” Clinical Gastroenterology and Hepatology 21.4 (2023): 988-994.
- Tandon, Saniya, et al. “Successes and challenges of best practice alerts to identify and engage individuals living with hepatitis C virus.” Frontiers in Public Health 12 (2024): 1281079.
- Webster, Rachel et al. “Health Department Efforts to Increase Hepatitis C RNA Testing Among People Appearing Out of Care: Comparison of Outreach Approaches, New York City, 2017.” Public Health Reports (Washington, D.C. : 1974) vol. 135,6 (2020): 823-830. doi:10.1177/0033354920952068
- Wegener, Maximilian, et al. “Observational pilot using a Data to Care intervention strategy to promote HCV re-engagement and cure for persons with HIV/HCV co-infection who are out of care.” BMC Health Services Research 25.1 (2025): 140.
- Wyatt, Brooke, et al. “A Digital Case‐Finding Algorithm for Diagnosed but Untreated Hepatitis C: A Tool for Increasing Linkage to Treatment and Cure.” Hepatology 74.6 (2021): 2974-2987.
- Yang, Anita, Debbie Zachary, and Jane Giang. “Impact of a nurse care coordinator supporting a clinical pharmacist practitioner in further managing HCV-infected patients.” Gastroenterology Nursing 44.1 (2021): E11-E17.
South America
- Mendizabal, Manuel, et al. “Implementation of a re-linkage to care strategy in patients with chronic hepatitis C who were lost to follow-up in Latin America.” Journal of Viral Hepatitis 30.1 (2023): 56-63.
- Ferraz, Maria Lucia Gomes, et al. “Retrieval of HCV patients lost to follow-up as a strategy for Hepatitis C Microelimination: results of a Brazilian multicentre study.” BMC Infectious Diseases 23.1 (2023): 1-5.
- Bittencourt, Paulo Lisboa, et al. “Telemonitoring of the Continuum of Care of Hepatitis C During the COVID-19 Pandemic in Brazil.” Telemedicine and e-Health (2023).
- Sotera, Gisela Fabiana, et al. “P-35 Relinkage of Patients With Chronic Hepatitis C Infection in the Context of the COVID-19 Pandemic” Annals of Hepatology 28 (2023): 100937.
- Otegui, Juan, et al. “P-84 Implementation of a step-by-step strategy based on the treatment cascade to eliminate Hepatitis C virus infection in the Hospital Central de las Fuerzas Armadas from Uruguay. Preliminary Report.” Annals of Hepatology 24 (2021): 100447.
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