title: Kinetics of hepatitis C viral RNA and HCV-antigen during dialysis sessions: evidence for differential viral load reduction on dialysis.
abstract: Hepatitis C infection is a common problem in dialysis units. The prevalence ranges from 3% to more than 50%. Several reports have described a variable reduction of HCV-RNA during hemodialysis treatment sessions. But so far nothing is known about the HCV antigenemia or the kinetics of the reduction of HCV-RNA and HCV antigenemia during these sessions. HCV-RNA was monitored using the VERSANT HCV bDNA assay 3.0 (Bayer Healthcare Diagnostics, Leverkusen, Germany) or the HCV-Monitor TaqMan (Roche Diagnostics). HCV antigenemia was tested by using Ortho-trac-C assay (Ortho Clinical Diagnostics, Neckargemünd, Germany). Kinetics of HCV-RNA were available in 15 dialysis sessions measured by bDNA assay and in 5 dialysis sessions measured by rt-PCR. Quantitative HCV-antigenemia was available in fourteen dialysis sessions. Not only HCV-RNA but as expected also the HCV-antigenemia fell during the dialysis session. However, while the average reduction of HCV-antigen appears steady and linear, the level of HCV-RNA seems to be stable during the first 3 hr of dialysis, and decreases rapidly during the last 2 hr. The results seem to be independent of the HCV-RNA detection method. The different kinetics of HCV RNA and HCV antigen load suggest that there are different mechanisms responsible for the reduction of the HCV antigen and HCV-RNA, respectively. Reduction of viral load during dialysis session indicates a potential benefit of dialysis in case of HCV associated antiviral therapy.
authors.affiliation: Medizinische Klinik und Poliklinik II, Universität Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany.
authors.forename: Thorsten
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Kaiser
authors.forename: Hans C
authors.initials: HC
authors.lastname: Damerow
authors.forename: Solveig
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Tenckhoff
authors.forename: Andrea
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Finger
authors.forename: Isabella
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Böttcher
authors.forename: Carsten
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Hafer
authors.forename: Anke
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Schwarz
authors.forename: Johann B
authors.initials: JB
authors.lastname: Lüth
authors.forename: Hans
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Schmidt Gürtler
authors.forename: Giuseppe
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Colucci
authors.forename: Michael P
authors.initials: MP
authors.lastname: Manns
authors.forename: Heiner
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Wedemeyer
authors.forename: Hans L
authors.initials: HL
authors.lastname: Tillmann
mesh_terms: D016174:Hepacivirus / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D006526:Hepatitis C / Q000821:virology*; D018936:Hepatitis C Antigens / Q000097:blood* / Q000302:isolation & purification; D006801:Humans; D007700:Kinetics; D012367:RNA, Viral / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D006435:Renal Dialysis; D019562:Viral Load
chemical_list: D018936:Hepatitis C Antigens; D012367:RNA, Viral