FRI0152 Criyoglobulinemia in hepatitis c infective hemodialysis and renal transplantation patients

Abstract

Background Hepatitis C infection (HCV) is an important problem among hemodialysis and renal transplantation patients. It has been showed that HCV infection is closely associated with mixed type criyoglobulinemia, despite this close relationship, the correlation of HCV and essential mixed criyoglobulinemia has been analysed in a very limited number of studies in hemodialysed and renal transplant patients. Objectives In this study, we aimed to investigate the prevalence of criyoglobulinemia in HCV positive hemodialysis patients, renal transplant patients and in patients with chronic liver disease in Turkey which type I HCV is the dominant form. Methods Criyoglobulinemia was studied in 41 hemodialysis, 10 renal transplant and 17 chronic liver disease patients with HCV infection. Anti-HCV antibodies were detected by second and third generation ELISA and for criyoglobulins centrifugation and cold incubation techniques were used. Results None of the HCV positive hemodialysis and renal transplant patients were found to have criyoglobulinemia, on the other hand criyoglobulinemia was present in only one patient with HCV positive chronic liver disease. Conclusion Type I HCV is the most common hepatitis C virus type in our hemodialysis unit and in Turkey, so this low prevalence of criyoglobulinemia may be associated with the genotype of HCV and the differences of the geographic areas.