title: Treatment of chronic hepatitis C in end stage renal disease: experience at a tertiary care centre.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Treatment of patients with chronic hepatitis C (CHC) is difficult in the setting of end stage renal disease (ESRD). The present study aimed to analyze the treatment outcome in patients with CHC and ESRD, being evaluated for kidney transplantation.
  
  
  METHODS
  Data of 65 patients of ESRD with CHC (males: 53, mean age: 39.2 +/- 14.4 years) was analysed retrospectively. Patients were treated with either pegylated or conventional interferon (IFN) without ribavirin. Treatment response was assessed for rapid virological response (RVR), early virological response (EVR), end of treatment response (ETR) and sustained virological response (SVR).
  
  
  RESULTS
  All patients were receiving hemodialysis (duration 1-60 months). Sixteen patients (25%) (genotype 1: 11, genotype 3: 4, genotype 2: 1) agreed for treatment (13 pegylated IFN and 3 conventional IFN). RVR was achieved in 7 patients (44%) and out of 11 patients (69%) who achieved EVR, ETR was achieved in 7 (44%) patients. Seven patients (44%) dropped out during treatment (2 because of side effects). SVR could be demonstrated in one of 7 patients who achieved ETR (6 patients were lost to follow up after ETR).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In our experience, dropouts before, during and after treatment are a major problem in patients with CHC and ESRD. Of those who complete treatment, around half of them are able to achieve the end of treatment response.
authors.affiliation: Department of Hepatology, Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research, Chandigarh- 160012, India. ajayduseja@yahoo.co.in
authors.forename: Ajay
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Duseja
authors.forename: Narendra S
authors.initials: NS
authors.lastname: Choudhary
authors.forename: Sachin
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Gupta
authors.forename: Radha K
authors.initials: RK
authors.lastname: Dhiman
authors.forename: Yogesh
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Chawla
authors.forename: Vinay
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Sakhuja
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000998:Antiviral Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D005260:Female; D019698:Hepatitis C, Chronic / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy*; D006801:Humans; D000077190:Interferon alpha-2; D016898:Interferon-alpha / Q000627:therapeutic use; D007676:Kidney Failure, Chronic / Q000150:complications / Q000628:therapy*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011092:Polyethylene Glycols / Q000627:therapeutic use; D011994:Recombinant Proteins / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006435:Renal Dialysis; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D062606:Tertiary Care Centers; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D000998:Antiviral Agents; D000077190:Interferon alpha-2; D016898:Interferon-alpha; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D011092:Polyethylene Glycols; C417083:peginterferon alfa-2b; C100416:peginterferon alfa-2a