title: Lack of impact of hepatitis C virus coinfection in end-stage renal disease patients with hepatitis B virus infection.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Hepatitis B virus (HBV) and hepatitis C virus (HCV) coinfection results in more severe forms of liver disease in nonuremic patients; however, the impact of HCV coinfection is not clearly known in end-stage renal disease (ESRD) patients with HBV infection. We sought to determine the impact of HCV coinfection in HBV-infected ESRD patients.
  
  
  METHODS
  The HBsAg-positive ESRD patients evaluated between March 1999 and May 2003 were divided into two groups: group B, HBV infection alone, and group BC, HBV-HCV coinfection (anti-HCV-positive). Both groups were compared regarding epidemiological, laboratory, and histological findings. A liver biopsy was obtained in cases with evidence of viral replication and/or elevated alanine aminotransferase.
  
  
  RESULTS
  One hundred patients (73% men) with mean age of 42 +/- 11 years (55 patients in group B and 45 in group BC) were studied. Comparison between groups showed a difference in time on hemodialysis and duration of infection, which were higher in group BC (P < .001 and P = .001, respectively) and in history of blood transfusion, which was also more frequent in group BC (P = .04). Liver biopsies, obtained from 15 patients in group B and 28 patients in group BC, showed no difference in frequency of septal fibrosis (60% in group B vs 48% in group BC, P = .46) or interface hepatitis (73% vs 71%, P = .99).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  HBV-HCV coinfection was related to a longer time on hemodialysis, longer duration of infection, and history of blood transfusion. Contrary to nonuremic patients, HCV coinfection was not associated with more severe forms of liver disease in ESRD patients.
authors.affiliation: Universidade Federal de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil.
authors.forename: R S
authors.initials: RS
authors.lastname: Moutinho
authors.forename: R M
authors.initials: RM
authors.lastname: Perez
authors.forename: F H L
authors.initials: FH
authors.lastname: Pace
authors.forename: A S P
authors.initials: AS
authors.lastname: Ferreira
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Cendoroglo
authors.forename: J O
authors.initials: JO
authors.lastname: Medina-Pestana
authors.forename: V P
authors.initials: VP
authors.lastname: Lanzoni
authors.forename: A E B
authors.initials: AE
authors.lastname: Silva
authors.forename: M L G
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Ferraz
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D016174:Hepacivirus / Q000302:isolation & purification; D006514:Hepatitis B Surface Antigens / Q000032:analysis; D006513:Hepatitis B e Antigens / Q000097:blood; D006526:Hepatitis C / Q000150:complications*; D006801:Humans; D007676:Kidney Failure, Chronic / Q000601:surgery* / Q000821:virology; D016030:Kidney Transplantation; D008297:Male; D006435:Renal Dialysis; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014511:Uremia / Q000601:surgery
chemical_list: D006514:Hepatitis B Surface Antigens; D006513:Hepatitis B e Antigens