title: Standardized prevalence ratios for chronic hepatitis C virus infection among adult Japanese hemodialysis patients.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Many studies have estimated the prevalence of anti-hepatitis C virus (HCV) antibody among hemodialysis (HD) patients; however, the prevalence of HCV core antigen-which indicates the presence of chronic HCV infection-is not known.
  
  
  METHODS
  Standardized prevalence ratios (SPRs) for anti-HCV antibody and HCV core antigen among HD patients (n = 1214) were calculated on the basis of data from the general population (n = 22 472) living in the same area.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The prevalences of anti-HCV antibody and HCV core antigen were 12.5% and 7.8%, respectively, in male hemodialysis patients, and 8.5% and 4.1% in female hemodialysis patients. The SPRs (95% confidence interval) for anti-HCV antibody and HCV core antigen were 8.39 (6.72-10.1) and 12.9 (9.66-16.1), respectively, in males, and 5.42 (3.67-7.17) and 8.77 (4.72-12.8) in females.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The prevalences of chronic HCV infection among male and female HD patients were 13-fold and 9-fold, respectively, those of the population-based controls. Further studies should therefore be conducted to determine the extent of chronic HCV infection among HD patients in other populations and to determine whether chronic HCV infection contributes to increased mortality in HD patients.
authors.affiliation: Department of Hygiene and Preventive Medicine, Iwate Medical University, Morioka, Japan. masakio@iwate-med.ac.jp
authors.forename: Masaki
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ohsawa
authors.forename: Karen
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Kato
authors.forename: Kazuyoshi
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Itai
authors.forename: Kozo
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Tanno
authors.forename: Yosuke
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Fujishima
authors.forename: Ryuichiro
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Konda
authors.forename: Akira
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Okayama
authors.forename: Koichi
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Abe
authors.forename: Kazuyuki
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Suzuki
authors.forename: Motoyuki
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Nakamura
authors.forename: Toshiyuki
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Onoda
authors.forename: Kazuko
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Kawamura
authors.forename: Kiyomi
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Sakata
authors.forename: Takashi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Akiba
authors.forename: Tomoaki
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Fujioka
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D016174:Hepacivirus / Q000276:immunology*; D018937:Hepatitis C Antibodies / Q000097:blood*; D018936:Hepatitis C Antigens / Q000097:blood*; D019698:Hepatitis C, Chronic / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000635:transmission; D006801:Humans; D007564:Japan / Q000453:epidemiology; D007676:Kidney Failure, Chronic / Q000628:therapy; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011446:Prospective Studies; D006435:Renal Dialysis / Q000009:adverse effects*; D012307:Risk Factors; D016036:Seroepidemiologic Studies; D012737:Sex Factors; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D018937:Hepatitis C Antibodies; D018936:Hepatitis C Antigens