Higher risk of renal disease in chronic hepatitis C patients: antiviral therapy survival benefit in patients on hemodialysis

Hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection is a major cause of viral hepatitis with a global seroprevalence estimated to be greater than 185 million [1]. Approximately 75% to 85% of patients with HCV infection develop a chronic hepatitis C (CHC) infection [2]. In addition to the direct negative impact by the virus on the liver, where more than 40% of CHC infections leads to liver cirrhosis after 30 years [3], CHC infection is also associated with extrahepatic manifestations including kidney disease, most commonly membranoproliferative glomerulonephritis with or without cryoglobulinemia [4].

Source: Journal of Hepatology - December 9, 2017 Category: Gastroenterology Authors: Jonas S öderholm, Charlotta Millbourn, Katharina Büsch, Jan Kövamees, Robert Schvarcz, Karin Lindahl, Annette Bruchfeld Source Type: research