Ewha Med J.  1994 Sep;17(3):197-204. 10.12771/emj.1994.17.3.197.

Prevalence of Antibody to Hepatitis C Virus(antiHCV) with Detection of HCV-RNA by Polymerase Chain Reaction(PCR) in End Stage Renal Disease Patients on Hemodialysis

• Jung SA
• Kang DH
• Choi GB
• Yoon KI

• KMID: 1965020
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.12771/emj.1994.17.3.197

Abstract

Patients undergoing maintenance hemodialysis(HD) potentially have an increased risk of exposure to viral hepatitis. The reported prevalence of antiHCV in hemodialysis patients varied widely form 7.6-54% according to dialysis center and there were there were many reports that showed the correlation between the prevalence of antiHCV and duration of HD or transfusion amount. Fifty-four patients on regular hemodialysis at our hospital were evaluated for the presence of hepatitic C antibody(antiHCV) with the comparison of various parameters such as duration of HD, amount of transfusion, past history of hepatitis, serologic markers of hepatitis B and current liver function. AntiHCV using second-generation enzyme linked immunosorbant assay were found in six of 54HD patients(11.1%). Among six antiHCV(+) percent four patients were found to have HCV-RNA in their plasma detected by PCR. The percent of male patients were significantly higher in antiHCV(+) group(66.7 vs 31.3%, p<0.05). The positivity of antiHCV did not correlated with the duration of HD and amount of transfusion(p>0.05), but prevalence increased over 2 years (5.9% in 1991, 11.1% in 1993) and HBsAg prevalence remained unchanged(9.8% in 1991, 9.3% in 1993). Therefore, regular follow-up of liver function test and use of separate machine for antiHCV positive patients may be needed to prevent the transmission of the hepatitis C virus during the hemodialysis process itself.

Keyword

Hemodialysis; AntiHCV; Polymerase chain reaction

MeSH Terms

Dialysis
Follow-Up Studies
Hepacivirus
Hepatitis B
Hepatitis B Surface Antigens
Hepatitis C*
Hepatitis*
Humans
Kidney Failure, Chronic*
Liver
Liver Function Tests
Male
Plasma
Polymerase Chain Reaction
Prevalence*
Renal Dialysis*
Hepatitis B Surface Antigens