Hepatitis C in chronic renal failure patients.
The occurrence of hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection amongst chronic renal failure (CRF) patients in our Nephrology Unit was investigated over a period of 1 year. A total of 71 patients was studied comprising 26 chronic haemodialysis (CHD) patients, 6 acute haemodialysis patients, 4 peritoneal dialysis patients and 35 CRF patients not on dialysis. Patients were screened before and after haemodialysis, and their baseline and postdialysis values of liver enzymes were determined. Eleven (15.5%) of the total 71 patients were HCV antibody positive. Analysis of the individual patient groups showed that 8 (30.7%) of the 26 CHD patients were positive for HCV. Our data showed a statistically significant relationship between seroconversion and duration of dialysis (p < 0.05). A high statistically significant (p < 0.0001) correlation was observed between the HCV antibodies and CRF. The relative risk of hepatitis C was about 22 times greater for those with CRF compared with the normal controls, which makes CRF an important risk factor. A high proportion of the HCV seroconverters had elevated liver enzyme (serum glutamic pyruvic transaminase). The data presented show a positive correlation between HCV seroconversion, CRF, duration on dialysis and elevated serum liver enzymes.
Mitwalli
A
A
Division of Nephrology, Security Forces Hospital, Riyadh, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
al-Mohaya
S
S
al Wakeel
J
J
el Gamal
H
H
Rotimi
V
V
al-Zeben
A
A
al-Aska
A
A
D006440:Hemofiltration; D016174:Hepacivirus / Q000276:immunology; D006508:Hepatitis Antibodies / Q000097:blood; D006526:Hepatitis C / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology; D006772:Hospitals, Military / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D007676:Kidney Failure, Chronic / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000628:therapy; D008099:Liver / Q000201:enzymology; D010530:Peritoneal Dialysis; D006435:Renal Dialysis; D012529:Saudi Arabia / Q000453:epidemiology; D013997:Time Factors; D065227:Transfusion Reaction
D006508:Hepatitis Antibodies