Resumen

DE LOS RIOS, Raúl; MIYAHIRA, Juan; COLICHON, Alejandro  y  CIEZA, Javier. Prevalence of antihepatitis C antibodies in patients on chronic hemodialysis. Rev Med Hered [online]. 1997, vol.8, n.2, pp.67-71. ISSN 1018-130X.

Objective: To determine the prevalence of antibodies against the hepatitis virus (HCV) in hemodialysis patients. Material and Methods: A cross sectional study was designed and achieved in three hemodialysis centers from March to April of 1996. The second generation enzyme linked inmunosorbent assay (ELISA II) was used to detect the anti HCV in 124 patients with chronic renal failture (CRF) in chronic hemodialysis (HD) program, even so we analyzed serum samples for aminotransferase alanine (ALT) and alkaline phosphatase (FA). Results: The prevalence of anti HCV antibodies was 83.9% and the only risk factor associated to infection was length of time on hemodialysis program (p=0.00001). No statistical association between the level of serum FA and serum ALT with anti HCV positive test were found. Conclusion: The prevalence of HCV antibodies is high in hemodialysis patients and the only risk factor associated to infection was length of time on hemodialysis program. (Rev Med Hered 1997; 8:67-71).

Palabras clave : Viral hepatitis; C hepatitis; non A non B hepatitis; antibodies anti C hepatitis; chronic hemodialysis; chronic renal failure.