Author/Editor		Luzar, Boštjan; Poljak, Mario; Seme, Katja; Matičič, Mojca; Lešničar, Gorazd; Brinovec, Vladimir; Ferlan-Marolt, Vera
Title		Histopathological features of chronic hepatitis C in haemodialysis patients
Type		članek
Source		In: Ferlan-Marolt V, Luzar B, editors. Viral hepatitis. Proceedings of the 35th memorial meeting to professor Janez Plečnik with international participation; 2004 Dec 2-3; Ljubljana. Ljubljana: Faculty of medicine, Institute of pathology,
Publication year		2004
Volume		str. 201-7
Language		eng
Abstract		Background. The influence of end stage kidney failure on the progression of liver disease in patients infected with hepatitis C virus (HCV) and treated with haemodialysis (HD) is still controversial. The aim of the present study was to determine whether the end stage kidney disease influences progression of chronic hepatitis C in HCV-infected uraemic patients. Material and methods. Pathohistological grading of necro-inflammatory activity and staging of architectural alterations in the liver was analysed in 154 HCV-infected nonuraemic and 13 HCV-infected uraemic patients. Statistical analysis was done by the nonparametrical Wilcoxon signed rank test. Results. There was no normal liver histology found in either group of altogether 167 patients. Each patient had at least a low grade lobular and/or portal inflammation. Nevertheless, statistically significant differences were observed between HCV-infected uraemic and non-uraemic patients in the extent of intralobular changes (p=0.043), portal inflammation (p=0.043), and degree of fib.rosis (p=0.017). Conclusion. Non-uraemic HCV-infected patients appear to have more active and progressive liver disease than HCV-infected patients on HD. Regular follow-up of uraemic patients associated with earlier detection of HCV infection, lower viral load, uraemiarelated impaired immunoreactivity and increased levels of hepatocyte growth factor described recently, might be implicated in a more favourable course of HCV infection in uraemic patients.
Descriptors		KIDNEY FAILURE, CHRONIC HEMODIALYSIS HEPATITIS C HEPATITIS, CHRONIC ACTIVE UREMIA