title: An international survey of the diagnosis, management, and treatment of hepatitis C in patients with end-stage renal disease.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Hepatitis C is one of the leading causes of death from liver disease in the United States, and is frequently associated with renal disease. Two major organizations-the American Association for the Study of Liver Disease and the National Kidney Foundation-have published recommendations regarding the treatment of hepatitis C in the presence of chronic kidney disease; however, these guidelines do not always provide the same recommendations. Given the paucity of data on adherence to the current guidelines, a survey was conducted to provide information about the current practices of physicians in comparison to the published guidelines.
  
  
  METHODS
  An observational study was conducted via a global survey asking physicians treating patients who had concurrent hepatitis C and chronic kidney disease.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The 218 questionnaires collected requested the physician's subspecialty, the number of transplants performed at the hospital, the usual method of screening for hepatitis C, the preferred route, the indication and frequency of liver biopsy, the use of ribavirin and interferon, the use of hepatitis-C-positive donors in kidney transplant, and consent requirements.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our results showed that many physicians do not follow current recommendations. We argue that a consensus group be formed to set forth guidelines for the management of hepatitis C to optimize outcomes, and improve overall morbidity.
authors.affiliation: Albert Einstein Medical Center, Philadelphia, PA, USA.
authors.forename: Mira R
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Olson
authors.forename: Kevin S
authors.initials: KS
authors.lastname: Grewal
authors.forename: Adam
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Bingaman
authors.forename: Radi
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Zaki
authors.forename: Shelby
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Stewart
authors.forename: John
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Horton
authors.forename: Victor
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Araya
authors.forename: Jorge
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Ortiz
mesh_terms: D000998:Antiviral Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001706:Biopsy; D019317:Evidence-Based Medicine; D019983:Guideline Adherence; D019538:Health Care Surveys; D006526:Hepatitis C / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000628:therapy*; D006801:Humans; D007258:Informed Consent; D007372:Interferons / Q000627:therapeutic use; D007676:Kidney Failure, Chronic / Q000150:complications* / Q000601:surgery; D016030:Kidney Transplantation; D017410:Practice Guidelines as Topic; D010818:Practice Patterns, Physicians' / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D012254:Ribavirin / Q000627:therapeutic use; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014019:Tissue Donors / Q000600:supply & distribution; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D000998:Antiviral Agents; D012254:Ribavirin; D007372:Interferons