[HCV+ patients on the waiting list for kidney transplantation. Retrospective analysis of data on the patient population with hepatitis C on the waiting list for kidney transplantation in the setting of the AIRT].
BACKGROUND
HCV infection in hemodialysis is still a matter of debate from an epidemiological and clinical point of view. Evaluation criteria for HCV-infected patients as transplant candidates are still not adequately standardized. Aims of the present study were to investigate: 1. the percentage of HCV positive patients on the waiting list of three Italian regions belonging to the Associazione InterRegionale Trapianti (AIRT); 2. to analyze the clinical approach in the evaluation of these patients in the attempt to define national guidelines for their pre- and post-transplant management.


METHODS
We evaluated 2045 uremic patients on the waiting lists of four transplant centers (Bari, Bologna, Modena, Novara) belonging to AIRT at 31/12/2002.


RESULTS
The overall prevalence of HCV positive patients was 14.2%, with a peak in the Puglia waiting list. The most common screening tests were AST and ALT serum levels and viral load (HCV RNA). Although there is a clear evidence that histological parameters are the main diagnostic and prognostic markers, a liver biopsy was performed in only 9.5% of patients. An even smaller percentage of HCV-infected patients underwent anti-viral therapy.


CONCLUSIONS
Our retrospective analysis evidenced the need to improve common clinical strategies in approaching HCV-infected canditates to renal transplantation in the attempt to improve their post-transplant outcome.
Schena
A
A
Divisione di Nefrologia, Dipartimento di Emergenza e Trapianti d'Organo, Universita' degli Studi di Bari - Policlinico, Bari, Italy. fp.shena@nephro.uniba.it
Stallone
G
G
Infante
B
B
Grandaliano
G
G
Di Paolo
S
S
Mosconi
G
G
Stefoni
S
S
Savazzi
A M
AM
Albertazzi
A
A
Barbe'
M C
MC
Turello
E
E
Schena
F P
FP
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000465:Algorithms; D005260:Female; D006526:Hepatitis C / Q000453:epidemiology*; D006801:Humans; D016030:Kidney Transplantation; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015995:Prevalence; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D014850:Waiting Lists