title: High prevalence of occult hepatitis C virus infection in patients with primary and secondary glomerular nephropathies.
abstract: The association of hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection and glomerulonephritis is well known. However, the relationship between immune-mediated glomerulonephritis and occult HCV, characterized by the presence of HCV-RNA in liver or in peripheral blood mononuclear cells in the absence of serological markers, is unknown. We tested this in 113 anti-HCV-negative patients; 87 with immune-mediated glomerulonephritis and 26 controls with hereditary glomerular nephropathies. All patients were serum HCV-RNA negative by conventional real-time PCR. Significantly, occult HCV-RNA (detectable viral RNA in peripheral blood mononuclear cells or in serum after ultracentrifugation) was found in 34 of 87 patients with immune-mediated glomerulonephritis versus 1 of 26 control patients. The serum creatinine levels were significantly higher in patients with immune-mediated glomerulonephritis with than in those without occult HCV (1.5 versus 1.1 mg/dl, respectively). A multivariate analysis adjusted for gender showed a significantly increased risk of occult HCV in patients with immune-mediated glomerulonephritis versus the controls (odds ratio of 13.29). Progression to end-stage renal disease tended to be faster in patients with immune-mediated glomerulonephritis and occult HCV than in the negative cases. Thus, occult HCV is strongly associated with immune-mediated glomerulonephritis and may have a role in the progression of the disease.
authors.affiliation: Fundación para el Estudio de las Hepatitis Virales, Madrid, Spain.
authors.forename: Inmaculada
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Castillo
authors.affiliation: Department of Nephrology, Hospital Universitario La Paz, IdiPAZ, Madrid, Spain.
authors.forename: Jorge
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Martinez-Ara
authors.affiliation: Department of Nephrology, Hospital Universitario La Paz, IdiPAZ, Madrid, Spain.
authors.forename: Teresa
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Olea
authors.affiliation: Fundación para el Estudio de las Hepatitis Virales, Madrid, Spain.
authors.forename: Javier
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Bartolomé
authors.affiliation: Department of Biostatistics, Hospital Universitario La Paz, IdiPAZ, Madrid, Spain.
authors.forename: Rosario
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Madero
authors.affiliation: 1] Department of Nephrology, Hospital Universitario 12 de Octubre, Madrid, Spain [2] REDinREN, Madrid, Spain.
authors.forename: Eduardo
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Hernández
authors.affiliation: Department of Nephrology, Hospital Universitario La Princesa, Madrid, Spain.
authors.forename: Carmen
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Bernis
authors.affiliation: Department of Nephrology, Hospital Universitario La Paz, IdiPAZ, Madrid, Spain.
authors.forename: Ana
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Aguilar
authors.affiliation: Fundación para el Estudio de las Hepatitis Virales, Madrid, Spain.
authors.forename: Juan A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Quiroga
authors.affiliation: Fundación para el Estudio de las Hepatitis Virales, Madrid, Spain.
authors.forename: Vicente
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Carreño
authors.affiliation: 1] Department of Nephrology, Hospital Universitario La Paz, IdiPAZ, Madrid, Spain [2] REDinREN, Madrid, Spain.
authors.forename: Rafael
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Selgas
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D003404:Creatinine / Q000097:blood; D005260:Female; D005921:Glomerulonephritis / Q000097:blood / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000276:immunology*; D016174:Hepacivirus / Q000235:genetics* / Q000276:immunology; D006526:Hepatitis C / Q000097:blood / Q000453:epidemiology*; D018937:Hepatitis C Antibodies / Q000097:blood*; D006801:Humans; D007963:Leukocytes, Mononuclear / Q000821:virology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009394:Nephritis, Hereditary / Q000097:blood / Q000453:epidemiology*; D015995:Prevalence; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012367:RNA, Viral / Q000097:blood*; D012307:Risk Factors
chemical_list: D018937:Hepatitis C Antibodies; D012367:RNA, Viral; D003404:Creatinine