Frequency of Hepatitis C Viral Infection in Maintenance Hemodialysis patients

Abstract

Background: Blood and blood products mainly transmit HCV. In developing countries Hepatitis C virus (HCV) is one of the leading pathogen that cause serious morbidity and mortality in hemodialysis patients. Transfusion of blood and duration of hemodialysis are the most important factors in transmission of HCV. We aimed to evaluate the frequency of hepatitis C infection in maintenance hemodialysis patients
 Material and method: It was a cross sectional study conducted at Mayo hospital, Lahore. Patients who met inclusion/exclusion criteria were electively admitted from emergency department. Informed consent from patients about their inclusion in the study and approval from the ethical committee of the hospital was taken. Relevant history and clinical examination was done of patients on maintenance hemodialysis . Venous samples for anti HCV antibodies by ELISA were taken. All samples sent to a ‘Central Laboratory of Mayo Hospital, Lahore’. All the relevant information including anti HCV antibodies by ELIZA and confounding variable like age, gender were noted on a Performa.
 Results
 Our study showed that frequency of HCV infection in CKD (chronic kidney disease) patients on maintenance hemodialysis was 25.7 percent.
 
 Conclusion:
 Our study concluded that there is a greater risk of acquiring hepatitis C infection in patients on maintenance hemodialysis. The control of contagion, decrease frequency of blood transfusions and cross-infections are the key factors to reduce occurrence of HCV in patients with hemodialysis.