Relationship between iron replacement and hepatic functions in hepatitis C virus-positive chronic haemodialysis...

To investigate the effects of intravenous (i.v.) iron replacement on hepatic functions of hepatitis C virus (HCV)-positive haemodialysis patients.

The present retrospective study included 89 HCV-positive and 57 HCV-negative haemodialysis patients. Alanine aminotransferase (ALT) levels were accepted as sustained high if the last three values were >/=20 U/L. All patients and the HCV-positive group were dichotomised into subgroups by the median for dialysis duration, the amounts of i.v. iron administered per year and totally.

Sustained high levels of ALT were significantly more frequent in the HCV-positive group (P < 0.001). In HCV-positive patients, the subgroup with ALT levels >/=20 U/L had significantly higher serum iron levels and mean amounts of i.v. iron administered per year and totally (P < 0.001) and the subgroup with the high mean total amount of i.v. iron had significantly higher serum ALT and iron levels (P < 0.001). Significant positive correlations were found in HCV-positive patients between ALT and serum iron levels (P < 0.001), as well as between ALT both with the mean amounts of i.v. iron administered per year (P = 0006) and totally (P = 0.015). Regression analysis showed that the main parameters effecting ALT were the serum iron level (P < 0.0001) and the mean amount of parenteral iron administered per year (P = 0.032).

We conclude that parenteral iron replacement might contribute to hepatocellular injury in HCV-positive haemodialysis patients.