Hepatitis C virus (HCV) chronic infection is a major causative factor for several chronic liver diseases, including liver cirrhosis, liver cell failure, and hepatocellular carcinoma. The HCV has seven major genotypes. Genotype 4 is the most prevalent genotype in the Middle East, including Saudi Arabia, followed by genotype 1. The HCV genotype affects the response to different HCV treatments and the progression of liver disease. Currently, combinations of direct-acting antiviral drugs (DAAs) approved for the treatment of HCV achieve high cure rates with minimal adverse effects. Because real-world data from Saudi Arabia about the efficacy of DAAs are still limited, this study was conducted to assess the effectiveness of DAAs in treating patients with chronic hepatitis C and to identify the variables related to a sustained virologic response (SVR) in a real-world setting in Saudi Arabia. This prospective cohort study included 200 Saudi patients with chronic HCV who were 18 years of age or older and had been treated with DAAs at King Abdul-Aziz Specialized Hospital in Taif, Saudi Arabia, between September 2018 and March 2021. The response to treatment was assessed by whether or not an SVR had been achieved at week 12 post treatment (SVR12). An SVR12 was reached in 97.5% of patients. SVR12 rates were comparable for patients of different ages, between men and women, and between patients with and without cirrhosis. In addition, the SVR12 rates did not differ according to the infecting HCV genotype. In this study, the presence of cirrhosis and the patient’s gender were independent predictors of who would not reach an SVR12 (known here as the non-SVR12 group) according to the results of univariate and multivariate binary logistic regression analyses based on the determinants of SVR12. In this population of patients with chronic HCV infection, all DAA regimens achieved very high SVR12 rates. The patients’ gender and the presence of cirrhosis were independent factors of a poor response.

- Background: The pandemic of COVID-19 caused a major threat to the physical and mental health of all people especially those with chronic disease. Therefore, identifying the perceived stress and coping strategies among patients with chronic disease is important to decrease the mental health consequences related to the pandemic. Objective: To explore COVID-19-related stress and coping strategies among adult patients with chronic disease attending Zagazig University Hospitals. Subjects and methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted among 317 randomly selected adult patients with chronic disease attending Zagazig University Hospitals. The study tool included; A pre-constructed standardized questionnaire composed of socio demographic data, Perceived Stress Scale and Brief COPE Inventory scale questionnaire. Results: 55.2% participants were moderately stressed, 36% were severely stressed, and 8.8% were low stressed. Self -distraction, denial coping, use of emotional support, behavioral disengagement, use of instrumental support, self-blame, humoring and acceptance coping strategies positively predicted the COVID-19-related stress score. While, Positive reframing coping strategy negatively predicted the COVID-19-related stress scores. Conclusion: the majority of the participants suffered from moderate to severe perceived stress levels due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Both adaptive and maladaptive coping strategy types were significantly associated with perceived stress score among adults with chronic disease. Keywords: COVID-19-related stress, coping strategies, chronic disease, Zagazig University Hospitals