Prevalence of hepatitis C antibodies (HCV) in a dialysis population at one center
Selgas, R.; Martinez-Zapico, R.; Bajo, M.A.; Romero, J.R.; Munoz, J.; Rinon, C.; Miranda, B.; Miguel, J.L.
Peritoneal Dialysis International Journal of the International Society for Peritoneal Dialysis 12(1): 28-30
1992
ISSN/ISBN: 0896-8608 PMID: 1311962 Document Number: 399656
Hepatitis C (HC) has been recently diagnosed by determination of specific antibodies that represent the former so-called non-A, non-B hepatitis. We studied the prevalence of plasma HCV antibodies among 61 unselected patients on hemodialysis (HD) and 43 on continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis (CAPD). Plasma C-antibodies were determined through the ELISA test system. Transfusion policy was the same in both groups. The prevalence of hepatitis C virus antibodies was significantly higher in hemodialysis patients than among those on CAPD. Time on dialysis, previous blood transfusions, and renal transplantation seem to increase the prevalence of C hepatitis antibodies among hemodialysis patients. The effect of these parameters on CAPD was smaller. Understanding the reasons for these differences may help prevent this disease among dialysis patients.