Hepatitis C Prevalence in Hemodialysis Patients and the Results of New Antiviral Therapy

Objective: Hepatitis C virus (HCV) is more common in patients undergoing dialysis compared to the normal population. The objective of this study was to investigate the incidence of hepatitis C in patients undergoing hemodialysis and to share the results of the antiviral drugs used in the treatment of our patients with HCV.

Materials and Methods: A total of 235 dialysis patients who had applied to the Outpatient Department of Infectious Diseases and Nephrology between January 2017 and December 2017 were retrospectively evaluated.

Results: The percentage of the anti-HCV positivity was 12.7%, and 73% of patients with anti-HCV positivity showed the HCV-RNA positivity. Genotyping revealed that 77.2% were 1b, 18.1% were 1a, and 4.5% were 3a. The treatment was planned according to the results of the genotype analysis. The HCV-RNA analysis was not performed in two anti-HCV positive patients because they refused to give blood, and 10 patients refused the treatment. For 12 non-cirrhotic genotype 1b patients who were not treated previously, a treatment protocol by adding dasabuvir to a combination of ombitasvir and paritaprevir/ritonavir was prepared. All patients who completed a 12-week treatment course became 100% HCV-RNA negative in the 1st, 3rd, and 6th month.

Conclusion: The treatment of patients undergoing hemodialysis infected with the HCV genotype 1b with an ombitasvir/paritaprevir/ritonavir/dasabuvir combination was very effective.

Cite this article as: Çelik N, Çelik O, Sevinç C, Ünal O. Hepatitis C Prevalence in Hemodialysis Patients and the Results of New Antiviral Therapy. Turk J Nephrol 2019; 28(2): 103-8.