Prevalence of hepatitis C in patients on maintenance haemodialysis.
OBJECTIVE
To find the prevalence of hepatitis C in patients on maintenance haemodialysis.


METHODS
A case control study.


METHODS
Haemodialysis unit at Sheikh Zayed Postgraduate Medical Institute, Lahore, Pakistan in December 1999.


METHODS
Fifty patients who were on maintenance haemodialysis were screened for anti HCV antibody. Fifty normal individuals who did not have any identifiable risk factors were also screened for anti HCV antibody. The relative risk and prevalence was calculated for the patients on maintenance haemodialysis.


RESULTS
Sixty-eight percent of the patients on maintenance haemodialysis were found to be positive for anti HCV antibody. Prevalence in normal individuals was 10 percent and relative risk for the patients on maintenance haemodialysis was 6.8.


CONCLUSIONS
Hepatitis-C is endemic among patients on maintenance haemodialysis and prevalence is much higher in developing countries as compared to developed world.
Gul
Ambreen
A
Department of Medicine, Sheikh Zayed Postgraduate Medical Institute, Lahore.
Iqbal
Farrukh
F
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D006526:Hepatitis C / Q000453:epidemiology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010154:Pakistan / Q000453:epidemiology; D015995:Prevalence; D006435:Renal Dialysis; D012307:Risk Factors