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A Protocol for Analyzing Hepatitis C Virus Replication
13:04

A Protocol for Analyzing Hepatitis C Virus Replication

Published on: June 26, 2014

Hepatitis C virus and kidney disease

Nassim Kamar1, Laurent Alric, Jacques Izopet

  • 1Department of Nephrology, Dialysis and Organ Transplantation, CHU Rangueil, Toulouse, France. kamar.n@chu-toulouse.fr

Clinics and Research in Hepatology and Gastroenterology
|March 26, 2013
PubMed

Insights

Hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection is common in kidney disease patients, causing kidney damage. While HCV-positive kidney transplant recipients show better survival than dialysis patients, allograft survival is reduced due to disease recurrence.

Area of Science:

  • Nephrology
  • Hepatology
  • Infectious Diseases

Background:

  • Hepatitis C virus (HCV) is a frequent complication in patients with kidney disease, often leading to glomerular diseases and end-stage renal disease (ESRD).
  • Regular monitoring for proteinuria, hematuria, and estimated glomerular filtration rate is recommended for HCV-infected patients.
  • Membranoproliferative glomerulonephritis is the most prevalent glomerular disease associated with HCV infection.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To review the impact of Hepatitis C virus infection on kidney disease progression and patient outcomes.
  • To evaluate the role of kidney transplantation in HCV-positive dialysis patients.
  • To assess the effect of dialysis and transplantation on liver fibrosis progression and occult HCV infection.

Main Methods:

  • Review of existing literature on Hepatitis C virus infection in kidney disease, dialysis, and kidney transplantation.
  • Analysis of patient survival data comparing HCV-positive and HCV-negative individuals in dialysis and transplant settings.
  • Examination of factors influencing kidney allograft survival in HCV-positive recipients.

Main Results:

  • HCV infection can cause glomerular disease, potentially leading to ESRD requiring dialysis or transplantation.
  • Survival rates are lower for HCV-positive dialysis patients compared to HCV-negative counterparts.
  • HCV-positive kidney transplant recipients demonstrate better survival than HCV-positive dialysis patients, but lower allograft survival than HCV-negative recipients due to disease recurrence or de novo occurrence.

Conclusions:

  • Kidney transplantation should be considered for dialysis patients with HCV infection who do not achieve sustained virological response.
  • While transplantation improves survival compared to dialysis for HCV patients, strategies to mitigate kidney allograft disease recurrence are needed.
  • Occult HCV infection is unlikely in dialysis and kidney transplant patients, and dialysis/transplantation do not significantly worsen liver fibrosis.

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