Rising burden of Hepatitis C Virus in hemodialysis patients
2011

Hepatitis C Virus Prevalence in Hemodialysis Patients

Sample size: 384 publication 10 minutes Evidence: high

Author Information

Author(s): Khan Sanaullah, Attaullah Sobia, Ali Ijaz, Ayaz Sultan, Naseemullah, Khan Shahid Niaz, Siraj Sami, Khan Jabbar

Primary Institution: Kohat University of Science and Technology

Hypothesis

What is the prevalence of active Hepatitis C Virus infection and its genotypes among hemodialysis patients in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa?

Conclusion

The study found a high prevalence of Hepatitis C Virus among hemodialysis patients, indicating significant ongoing risk factors for infection.

Supporting Evidence

  • 29.2% of patients were anti-HCV positive.
  • 80.4% of anti-HCV positive patients were HCV RNA positive.
  • The dominant HCV genotypes were 3a, 3b, and 1a.
  • The study highlights the need for improved infection control practices in dialysis centers.
  • HCV prevalence among dialysis patients is significantly higher than in the general population.

Takeaway

This study shows that many patients on dialysis have Hepatitis C, which can spread easily in hospitals if proper care isn't taken.

Methodology

The study used polymerase chain reaction to detect HCV RNA and genotyping in 384 hemodialysis patients.

Potential Biases

There may be biases in self-reported risk factors and the selection of patients from specific hospitals.

Limitations

The study may not account for all potential risk factors and relies on self-reported data for some demographic information.

Participant Demographics

The mean age of participants was 40.9 years, with 244 males and 140 females.

Statistical Information

P-Value

0.004

Statistical Significance

p<0.05

Digital Object Identifier (DOI)

10.1186/1743-422X-8-438

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