The quality of life in hemodialysis patients with chronic hepatitis C virus infection.
OBJECTIVE
We aimed to determine the quality of life in treated and untreated hemodialysis patients with chronic hepatitis C virus infection.


METHODS
Ninety-five chronic renal failure patients with positive antiHCV/HCV-RNA were enrolled in this prospective study. All patients were questioned using the Short Form-36 (SF-36) health survey to evaluate life quality after the treatment. Fifty-five (ALT>1.5 ULN) were treated with interferon-alpha-2b [3MU/tiw, sc, 6 (30 patients) and 12 (25 patients) months], and 40 (11 renal transplanted) were untreated. Fifteen patients had renal transplantation in a mean of 24.6+/-12.5 months after interferon-alpha treatment.


RESULTS
The mean age of the patients was 37+/-10 years, and 58 were male. The mean durations of hemodialysis and renal transplantation were 6.4+/-3.8 and 5.9+/-4.6 years, respectively. Interferon treatment had a negative effect on general health perception, physical activity and anxiety about the disease (p<0.05) when compared with the untreated patients. General health perception scores were positively slightly increased in interferon responder patients (p>0.05). General health and physical activity were better in transplanted patients than patients undergoing hemodialysis (p<0.05).


CONCLUSIONS
General health perception slightly increased positively in interferon responder patients. However, general health perception and physical activity were affected negatively by interferon treatment in the whole group analysis. Renal-transplanted patients have a better life quality compared with those on hemodialysis.
Akyüz
Filiz
F
Department of Gastroenterohepatology, Istanbul University, School of Medicine, Istanbul. filizakyuz@hotmail.com
Beşişik
Fatih
F
Pinarbaşi
Binnur
B
Demir
Kadir
K
Kaymakoğlu
Sabahattin Tolga
ST
Cakaloğlu
Yilmaz
Y
Sever
Mehmet Sükrü
MS
Okten
Atilla
A
D000328:Adult; D000998:Antiviral Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001007:Anxiety / Q000523:psychology; D005260:Female; D006306:Health Surveys; D019698:Hepatitis C, Chronic / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000523:psychology*; D006801:Humans; D000077190:Interferon alpha-2; D016898:Interferon-alpha / Q000627:therapeutic use; D007676:Kidney Failure, Chronic / Q000523:psychology / Q000601:surgery / Q000628:therapy; D016030:Kidney Transplantation / Q000523:psychology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009043:Motor Activity; D011788:Quality of Life; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D006435:Renal Dialysis / Q000523:psychology*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
D000998:Antiviral Agents; D000077190:Interferon alpha-2; D016898:Interferon-alpha; D011994:Recombinant Proteins