PREVALENCE OF HCV ANTIBODIES IN HAEMODIALYSIS PATIENTS IN ASWAN GOVERNORATE

Abstract

SUMMARY H epatitis C is the most common liver disease in renal dialysis patients while liver disease itself is a significant cause of morbidity and mortality in patients with end-stage renal disease (ESRD) treated by dialysis or transplantation. The relation between HCV infection and kidney disorders is well recognized. On one hand, hepatitis C infection has been associated with essential mixed cryoglobulinemia that may lead to membranoproliferative glomerulonephritis, but on the other hand, patients with renal disease are at an increased risk of acquiring HCV because of prolonged vascular access and the potential for exposure to infected patients and contaminated equipment. This work is a part of project aiming at making survey about HCV, assessment its prevalence, its seroconversion and study risk factors associated with HCV seroconversion among all hemodialysis patients in Egypt. This project is modulated by Nephrology department, Ain Shams university. Our study was conducted on all patients on regular hemodialysis sessions attending different hemodialysis centers in Aswan governorate. In this multicenter study, we sought to investigate the prevalence of HCV infection among all hemodialysis patients in Aswan governorate, to include an estimation of the anti-HCV seroprevalence and to delineate events and factors associated with HCV seroconversion. All patients in the work were evaluated using questionnaire form for assessment of risk factors causing HCV infection in hemodialysis patients such as; Age by years, Sex, Duration of hemodialysis by years and months, Previous blood transfusion, Previous surgery, Isolation procedures in the centers, Dialysis in other centers, Vascular access used, History of Shistosomiasis, History of HBs Ag, Family history of hepatitis, Cause of chronic kidney disease. The study was done in April to June 2010. The total number of patients was 784 ones attending about 11 different center. The total number of –ve HCV patients from the start of their dialysis is 507 ones. 444 ones of them still free of HCV and 63 ones converted to positive state through out their duration of HD. This study revealed that, the total number of the HCV positive patients was 340 (43.37%), while the total number of the HCV negative patients was 444 (56.63%). Our study included 488 male patients (62.2%) and 296 female patients (37.8%), the age of the patients ranged from 13 years to 86 years (mean 49.6 ± 16.2).