Interferon monotherapy of chronic hepatitis C in dialysis patients: meta-analysis of clinical trials

Treatment of hepatitis C infection among Egyptian hemodialysis patients: the dream becomes a reality

BACKGROUND AND AIMS

New direct-acting antiviral drugs have become the corner-stone treatment for HCV infection: they show promising results with accepted side-effects and low dropout rates. One of the available regimens is paritaprevir/ombitasvir/ritonavir (PTV/OMV/RTV). Our aim was to study the efficacy and safety of this drug regimen among HCV-positive hemodialysis patients.

METHODS

This prospective single-center study was performed in the Urology and Nephrology Center, Mansoura University, Egypt. Ninety-six maintenance hemodialysis patients were screened for HCV antibodies. Positive results were found in 46 patients (47.9%). HCV PCR was assessed in all HCV-antibody-positive patients; positive results were found positive for 38 (82%); all patients were HCV genotype 4. Four patients were excluded due to advanced liver cirrhosis, liver malignancy, or metastatic breast cancer. Thirty-four patients were prescribed PTV/OMV/RTV for 3 months to treat HCV.

RESULTS

Mean age was 43.2 ± 11.9 years. Most patients were male (67.6%). There was a rapid response to treatment: HCV PCR became negative by 4 weeks after starting treatment. By 12 and 24 weeks post-DAA therapy, there was a sustained viral response (SVR 12, SVR 24) in 100% of patients with improved liver-enzyme levels.

CONCLUSION

The PTV/OMV/RTV regimen was safe and effectively treated Egyptian HCV-positive genotype-4 hemodialysis patients.

[Chronic hepatitis C virus infection: An internist's opinion (Part 1)]

Hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection results in not only chronic hepatitis and subsequent complications as liver cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma, but also in a significant number of other diseases, the so-called extrahepatic manifestations of chronic HCV infection. This is because of viral hepatotropicity and lymphotropicity. The most striking example of the course of chronic HCV infection, in which the infectious and inflammatory processes are concurrent with autoimmune disorders and carcinogenesis, is mixed cryoglobulinemia and B-cell non-Hodgkin's lymphoma. The pathogenesis of these diseases is based on the clonal expansion of B cells, which occurs under their prolonged stimulation with the virus or viral proteins. Part 1 of this review is devoted to the analysis of a correlation of chronic HCV infection with lymphoproliferative and autoimmune disorders, as well as its association with kidney injury.

Diagnostic Accuracy of Aspartate Aminotransferase to Platelet Ratio Index and Fibrosis 4 Scores in Predicting Advanced Liver Fibrosis in Patients with End-stage Renal Disease and Chronic Viral Hepatitis: Experience from Pakistan

Objectives

The aim was to assess the diagnostic accuracy of APRI and FIB-4 in assessing the stage of liver fibrosis in end stage renal disease (ESRD) patients with chronic viral hepatitis and to compare the two tests with standard tru-cut liver biopsy.

Material and Methods

The study was conducted at Sindh Institute of Urology and Transplantation Karachi (SIUT) from May 2010 to May 2014. All ESRD patients, being considered as candidates for renal transplantation and in whom liver biopsy was performed were included. Fibrosis stage was assessed on liver biopsy using Ishak scoring system. The serum transaminases and platelet counts were used to calculate APRI and FIB-4 scores.

Results

Out of 109 patients, hepatitis C and B virus infections were present in 104 (95.4%) and 3(2.8%), respectively, while 2 (1.8%) patients had both infections. The mean Ishak fibrosis score was 1.95 ± 2. Advanced fibrosis was noted in 37 (34%) patients. Univariate analysis showed that advanced liver fibrosis was associated with lower platelets counts (P=0.001) and higher aspartate aminotransferase (AST) (P=0.001), alanine aminotransferase (ALT) (P=0.022), APRI score (P=0.001) and FIB-4 score (P=0.001). On logistic regression analysis, only APRI score (P < 0.001) was found to be the independent variable associated with advanced liver fibrosis. APRI score cutoff ≥1 indicating advanced fibrosis showed sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value (PPV) and negative predictive value (NPV) of 91.9%, 90.3%, 82.9%, 95.6%, respectively with area under the curve (AUC) of 0.97. Similarly, a FIB-4 score cutoff ≥1.1 had sensitivity, specificity, PPV and NPV of 70.27%, 66.67%, 52% and 81.36%, respectively with AUC of 0.74.

Conclusion

APRI is more accurate noninvasive test for assessing advanced liver fibrosis in ESRD patients as compared to FIB-4. It can be used to obviate the need for liver biopsy in this high risk population.

Efficacy and safety of daclatasvir plus asunaprevir therapy for chronic hepatitis C patients with renal dysfunction

Chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection is associated with renal dysfunction. Daclatasvir and asunaprevir combination therapy showed a high virological response for genotype 1 chronic HCV-infected patients with renal dysfunction on hemodialysis. However, the safety and efficacy of the therapy for patients with renal dysfunction who are not on hemodialysis are not well-known. In total, 147 patients with chronic HCV genotype 1 infection were treated with 24 weeks of daclatasvir plus asunaprevir therapy. Among these patients, 126 had normal renal function (estimated glomerular filtration rate [eGFR] ≥ 50 ml/min/1.73 m² ) and 21 had renal dysfunction (eGFR < 50 ml/min/1.73 m² ). Plasma concentrations of daclatasvir and asunaprevir after 5 days of treatment were the same in the normal renal function and renal dysfunction groups. Early virological response (4, 8, 48, 96, and 168 hr after the start of the therapy) was similar between the two groups. End-of-treatment response was achieved in 122 (96.8%) and 20 (95.2%) patients with normal renal function and with renal dysfunction, respectively, and sustained virological response was achieved in 119 (94.4%) and 20 (95.2%) patients. The frequency of adverse events was also comparable between the two groups. Treatment discontinuation due to adverse events was required for only one patient in each group. Renal function did not change either during or after treatment in both groups. In conclusion, renal function is unlikely to have a significant impact on blood kinetics of daclatasvir and asunaprevir. This combination therapy was effective and safe for patients without hemodialysis. J. Med. Virol. 89:665-671, 2017. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Hepatitis C and kidney disease: A narrative review

Hepatitis-C (HCV) infection can induce kidney injury, mostly due to formation of immune-complexes and cryoglobulins, and possibly to a direct cytopathic effect. It may cause acute kidney injury (AKI) as a part of systemic vasculitis, and augments the risk of AKI due to other etiologies. It is responsible for mesangiocapillary or membranous glomerulonephritis, and accelerates the progression of chronic kidney disease due to other causes. HCV infection increases cardiovascular and liver-related mortality in patients on regular dialysis. HCV-infected patients are at increased risk of acute post-transplant complications. Long-term graft survival is compromised by recurrent or de novo glomerulonephritis, or chronic transplant glomerulopathy. Patient survival is challenged by increased incidence of diabetes, sepsis, post-transplant lymphoproliferative disease, and liver failure. Effective and safe directly acting antiviral agents (DAAs) are currently available for treatment at different stages of kidney disease. However, the relative shortage of DAAs in countries where HCV is highly endemic imposes a need for treatment-prioritization, for which a scoring system is proposed in this review. It is concluded that the thoughtful use of DAAs, will result in a significant change in the epidemiology and clinical profiles of kidney disease, as well as improvement of dialysis and transplant outcomes, in endemic areas.

Novel Treatment of Hepatitis C Virus Infection for Patients with Renal Impairment

Prevalence of hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection is high in patients with end-stage renal dysfunction, including patients undergoing hemodialysis (HD). The HCV infection itself can cause glomerulonephritis and puts individuals at increased risk of developing end-stage renal disease; fortunately, successful HCV eradication sometimes restore HCV-related renal dysfunction. Moreover, the prognosis of dialysis patients infected with HCV is significantly worse and the renal allograft survival in HCV-infected patients is also worse than in dialysis patients without HCV infection. If life prognosis is favorable, therefore, anti-HCV therapy is strongly recommended for HCV-infected patients with severe renal dysfunction. The standard therapy for HCV-infected patients with severe renal dysfunction has historically been interferon-based therapy. However, this therapy remains ineffective in achieving high, sustained viral response rates and the rate of adverse events and treatment discontinuation due to treatment-induced adverse events continues to be high in patients with severe renal dysfunction. Safe and effective anti-HCV therapies are urgently needed, and crucial, for patients with severe renal dysfunction. Recently, direct-acting antivirals (DAAs) that specifically target viral proteins have been developed, and these targets include the NS3, NS5A, and NS5B of HCV. Clinical trials have revealed high efficacy and safety of the DAA-based therapies, but patients with severe renal dysfunction were not included in the majority of these trials. However, several recent reports have shown high efficacy and safety for some regimens of DAA combination therapy for HCV-infected patients with severe renal dysfunction. In this review, we discuss novel treatments for HCV-infected patients with severe renal dysfunction and the pharmacokinetics of these drugs.

Efficacy and safety of daclatasvir and asunaprevir combination therapy in chronic hemodialysis patients with chronic hepatitis C

BACKGROUND

HCV infection in chronic hemodialysis patients is high, has a poor prognosis and high risk of renal graft failure, and requires nosocomial infection control measures. However, options of anti-HCV therapy in such patients are limited and unsatisfactory. In this study, we report effectiveness and safety of HCV-NS5A-inhibitor daclatasvir (DCV) and protease-inhibitor asunaprevir (ASV) combination therapy for hemodialysis patients with HCV infection.

METHODS

This study was registered at the UMIN Clinical Trials Registry as UMIN000016355. Thirty-four dialysis patients were treated with DCV/ASV combination therapy between January 2015 and November 2015. Of those, 21 patients who were followed more than 12 weeks after treatment ended were included. We evaluated the 12-week sustained virologic response (SVR12) and adverse events during treatment.

RESULTS

Of the 21 patients, four had compensated liver cirrhosis and three had resistance-associated variant of NS5A (NS5A RAVs)-Y93H at baseline. Overall, total of 95.5 % (20/21) of the patients achieved SVR12. Of note, all patients with cirrhosis or NS5A RAVs achieved SVR12. One relapser patient at 4 weeks post-treatment had NS3 D168E RAVs at baseline. A total of 20 patients (95.5 %) completed the 24-week therapy. One patient discontinued treatment at week 12 due to ALT elevations and achieved SVR12.

CONCLUSIONS

DAV and ASV combination therapy for chronic hemodialysis patients with HCV infection was highly effective and well tolerated, even in elderly patients and patients with liver cirrhosis and NS5A-RAVs.

Boceprevir-Based Triple Antiviral Therapy for Chronic Hepatitis C Virus Infection in Kidney-Transplant Candidates

Background. There are few data on the combination of (pegylated-) interferon- (Peg-IFN-) α, ribavirin, and first-generation direct-acting antiviral agents (DAAs). Our aim was to describe the efficacy and safety of Peg-IFN-α, ribavirin, and boceprevir in hemodialysis patients. Patients. Six hemodialysis patients, chronically infected by genotype-1 HCV, were given Peg-IFN-α (135 µg/week), ribavirin (200 mg/d), and boceprevir (2400 mg/d) for 48 weeks. Results. At initiation of antiviral therapy, median viral concentration was 5.68 (3.78–6.55) log IU/mL. HCV RNA was undetectable in four of the six patients at week 4 and in all patients at week 24. A breakthrough was observed in two patients between weeks 24 and 48, and a third patient stopped antiviral therapy between weeks 24 and 48 because of severe peripheral neuropathy. At week 48, HCV RNA was undetectable in three patients. Of these, two patients relapsed within a month after antiviral therapy was stopped. Hence, only one patient had a sustained virological response; he was a previous partial responder. Overall, anemia was the main side effect. Conclusion. A triple antiviral therapy based on Peg-IFN-α, ribavirin, and boceprevir is not optimal at treating hemodialysis patients with chronic HCV infection. Studies using new-generation drugs are required in this setting.

Management of chronic hepatitis C virus infection in patients with end-stage renal disease: a review

Infection with hepatitis C virus (HCV) is highly prevalent in chronic kidney disease (CKD) patients, mainly in those on hemodialysis (HD). The seroprevalence of HCV in developing countries ranges between 7% and 40%. Risk factors for this infection in the CKD population include the number of blood transfusions, duration of end-stage renal disease (ESRD), and prevalence of HCV in HD. Chronic HCV infection in patients with ESRD is associated with an increase in morbidity and mortality in the pre and post kidney transplant periods. The increase in mortality is directly associated with liver complications and an elevated cardiovascular risk in HCV-infected patients on hemodialysis. Antiviral treatment may improve the prognosis of patients with HCV, and standard interferon remains the cornerstone of treatment. Treatment of HCV in patients with CKD is complex, but achieving a sustained viral response may decrease the frequency of complications after transplantation. It appears that HCV-infected patients who remain on maintenance dialysis are at increased risk of death compared with HCV patients undergoing renal transplantation.

Management of patients with hepatitis C infection and renal disease

Hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection in patients with end-stage renal disease (ESRD) is associated with more rapid liver disease progression and reduced renal graft and patients' survival following kidney transplantation. Evaluations and management of HCV in patients with renal disease are challenging. The pharmacokinetics of interferons (IFN), ribavirin (RBV) and some direct acting antiviral (DAA), such as sofosbuvir, are altered in patients with ESRD. With dose adjustment and careful monitoring, treatment of HCV in patients with ESRD can be associated with sustained virological response (SVR) rates nearly comparable to that of patients with normal renal function. DAA-based regimens, especially the IFN-free and RBV-free regimens, are theoretically preferred for patients with ESRD and KT in order to increase SVR rates and to reduce treatment side effects. However, based on the data for pharmacokinetics, dosing safety and efficacy of DAA for patients with severe renal impairment are lacking. This review will be focused on the evaluations, available pharmacologic data, and management of HCV in patients with severe renal impairment, patients who underwent KT, and those who suffered from HCV-related renal disease, according to the available treatment options, including DAA.

Hepatitis C and kidney disease: An overview and approach to management

Hepatitis C infection and chronic kidney disease are major health burden worldwide. Hepatitis C infection is associated with a wide range of extra-hepatic manifestations in various organs including the kidneys. A strong association between hepatitis C and chronic kidney disease has come to light. Hemodialysis in supporting the end stage renal disease patients unfortunately carries a risk for hepatitis C infection. Despite much improvement in the care of this group of patients, the prevalence of hepatitis C infection in hemodialysis patients is still higher than the general population. Hepatitis C infection has a negative effect on the survival of hemodialysis and renal transplant patients. Treatment of hepatitis C in end stage renal disease patients using conventional or pegylated interferon with or without ribavirin remains a clinical challenge with low response rate, high dropout rate due to poor tolerability and many unmet needs. The approval of new direct acting antiviral agents for hepatitis C may dramatically change the treatment approach in hepatitis C infected patients with mild to moderate renal impairment. However it remains to be confirmed if the newer Hepatitis C therapies are safe in individuals with severe renal impairment. This review article discusses the relationship between hepatitis C and chronic kidney disease, describe the various types of renal diseases associated with hepatitis C and the newer as well as the existing treatments for hepatitis C in the context of this subpopulation of hepatitis C patients.

Efficacy and tolerability of low-dose interferon-α in hemodialysis patients with chronic hepatitis C virus infection

AIM: To evaluate the efficacy and tolerability of low-dose standard or pegylated interferon (PEG-IFN) in hepatitis C virus (HCV)-positive hemodialysis patients.

METHODS: In total, 19 patients were enrolled in this study, of which 12 received PEG-IFNα-2a 67.5 μg 1 time/wk (Group 1) and 7 received standard interferon α-2b subcutaneously 1.5 × 10⁶ U 3 times/wk (Group 2). The treatment durations were 48 wk for patients infected with HCV genotype 1 and 24 wk for patients infected with HCV genotype 2/3. All patients were prospectively followed after the completion of therapy. The efficacy and tolerability of the treatment were evaluated based on the sustained virological response (SVR) and treatment-related drop-out rate.

RESULTS: In Group 1, 11 of the 12 patients completed the treatment. Early virological response (EVR) and sustained virological response (SVR) rates were 83.3% and 91.7%, respectively. One patient withdrew from treatment due to an adverse event (leukopenia). The drop-out rate was 8.3% in this group. In Group 2, 5 of the 7 patients completed the treatment with an EVR and SVR of 85.7% and 71.4%, respectively. Two patients withdrew due to treatment-related adverse events (nausea and depression). In this group, the drop-out rate was 28.6%. In total, 16 of the patients attained EVR, and 15 of them completed the treatment. The SVR rate for the patients who attained EVR was 93.7%. Anemia was the most frequent side effect and was observed in 10/19 patients (55.5%), but could be effectively managed with erythropoietin.

CONCLUSION: Low-dose interferon monotherapy, either with PEG-IFNα-2a or standard interferon α-2b, is an effective treatment option for hemodialysis patients with chronic hepatitis C.

A study of the immunoloregulation of double filtration plasmapheresis in maintenance hemodialysis patients with chronic hepatitis C

Although a large number of drugs have been used to treat chronic hepatitis C (CHC), there still remains a great challenge to treat maintenance hemodialysis (MHD) patients with chronic hepatitis C. To clarify the immunnoloregulation of double filtration plasmapheresis (DFPP) in MHD patients with CHC, DFPP was performed in 20 MHD patients with CHC (HCV-antibody positive, serum HCV RNA >500 IU/ml more than 6 months and HCV genotype 1b). The clinical data was collected and peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) were analyzed by flow cytometry at the time of hour 0, hour 3, day 3, day 7 and day 28 after the DFPP, respectively. Serum HCV particles could be removed partially by the DFPP. The titer of serum HCV RNA could remain in a lower level even 28 days after the treatment. Compared to MHD patients without HCV infection, the frequencies of innate immune cells were similar in MHD patients with CHC, while Th1/Th2 was elevated and the frequencies of regulatory T (Treg) cells were higher in those MHD patients with CHC. The frequencies of monocytes and natural killer (NK) cells remained after the DFPP in MHD patients with CHC. There were no significant changes of Th1, Th2 and Th1/Th2 in PBMC after DFPP. DFPP could reduce the frequencies of Th17 cells and Treg cells in PBMC from 7 days after DFPP in MHD patients with CHC. DFPP could partially remove the serum HCV particles mechanically. The titer of HCV RNA could remain in a lower level at least for 28 days probably due to the redistribution of the immunocytes in circulation.

Hepatitis C infection and chronic renal diseases

Hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection and chronic renal diseases can be linked in two different ways. Some forms of renal disease are precipitated by HCV infection, while patients with end-stage renal disease are at increased risk for acquiring HCV infection. Patients with chronic HCV infection and renal disease have a poor prognosis. Most studies on treatment of HCV and renal diseases have been uncontrolled trials with small number of subjects. So, there is a lack of evidence-based recommendations and guidelines on the management of this condition. In this review, we will attempt to provide the most recent insights on HCV infection both as a extrahepatic manifestations and as a complication of end-stage renal patients.

Hepatitis C virus infection and dialysis: 2012 update

Hepatitis C virus infection is still common among dialysis patients, but the natural history of HCV in this group is not completely understood. Recent evidence has been accumulated showing that anti-HCV positive serologic status is significantly associated with lower survival in dialysis population; an increased risk of liver and cardiovascular disease-related mortality compared with anti-HCV negative subjects has been found. According to a novel meta-analysis (fourteen studies including 145,608 unique patients), the adjusted RR for liver disease-related death and cardiovascular mortality was 3.82 (95% CI, 1.92; 7.61) and 1.26 (95% CI, 1.10; 1.45), respectively. It has been suggested that the decision to treat HCV in patients with chronic kidney disease be based on the potential benefits and risks of therapy, including life expectancy, candidacy for kidney transplant, and co-morbidities. According to recent guidelines, the antiviral treatment of choice in HCV-infected patients on dialysis is mono-therapy but fresh data suggest the use of modern antiviral approaches (i.e., pegylated interferon plus ribavirin). The summary estimate for sustained viral response and drop-out rate was 56% (95% CI, 28-84) and 25% (95% CI, 10-40) in a pooled analysis including 151 dialysis patients on combination antiviral therapy (conventional or pegylated interferon plus ribavirin).

Virological responses of pegylated interferon alpha-2a treatment in hemodialysis patients infected with hepatitis C

BACKGROUND

Hepatitis C is the most frequently encountered hepatic disease in dialysis patients. Data related to pegylated interferon alfa-2a (Peg-IFN-α-2a) use in hemodialysis patients with hepatitis C virus (HCV) are limited. The aim of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of Peg-IFN-α-2a among these patients.

METHODS

Forty-one IFN-naive hemodialysis patients infected by HCV were assessed. All patients had positive anti-HCV antibody and positive HCV-RNA. Peg-IFN-α-2a 135 mcg/week was given for 48 weeks. Biochemical and virological responses were evaluated at treatment weeks 12, 24, 48, and 72.

RESULTS

Thirty-eight of the 41 patients who completed the treatment enrolled in the study. Mean age of the 38 patients was 38.1 (range 23-65) years, and the study group was predominantly male (65.8 %). There was no statistically significant difference in mean age, gender, mean duration of hemodialysis, HCV infection, patient numbers with normal alanine aminotransferase (ALT) values and mean ALT, platelet, and HCV-RNA values between patients who achieved sustained virological response (SVR) and those who did not. Only the Knodell histology activity index correlated with SVR (P = 0.048). Biochemical and virological response rates at the 12th week (early response) were 94.7 % and 60.5 %, respectively. The 34 (89.5 %) patients achieved biochemical response at the end of therapy (48th week); 24 (63.2 %) remained HCV-RNA negative. At the 72nd week, biochemical and virological response rates were 84.2 % and 50 %, respectively.

DISCUSSION

According to results of this study, patients achieved good sustained viral and biochemical response rates with Peg-IFN-α-2a treatment. Histology activity index may be a predictor for SVR; but large randomized controlled trials are needed. Weekly 135 mcg dose of Peg-IFN-α-2a for 48 weeks is an effective treatment in HCV-infected hemodialysis patients.

APASL consensus statements and management algorithms for hepatitis C virus infection

The Asian Pacific Association for the Study of the Liver (APASL) convened an international working party on the "APASL Consensus Statements and Management Algorithms for Hepatitis C Virus Infection" in December, 2010, in order to revise "Asian Pacific Association for the Study of the Liver consensus statements on the diagnosis, management and treatment of hepatitis C virus infection (J Gastroenterol Hepatol 22:615-633, 2007)". The working party consisted of expert hepatologists from the Asian-Pacific region gathered at Makuhari, Chiba, Japan on 19 December 2010. New data were presented, discussed and debated to draft a revision. Participants of the consensus meeting assessed the quality of cited studies. Finalized recommendations are presented in this review.

Hepatitis C and kidney transplantation

Hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection is relatively common among patients with end-stage kidney disease (ESKD) on dialysis and kidney transplant recipients. HCV infection in hemodialysis patients is associated with an increased mortality due to liver cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma. The severity of hepatitis C-related liver disease in kidney transplant candidates may predict patient and graft survival after transplant. Liver biopsy remains the gold standard in the assessment of liver fibrosis in this setting. Kidney transplantation, not haemodialysis, seems to be the best treatment for HCV+ve patients with ESKD. Transplantation of kidneys from HCV+ve donors restricted to HCV+ve recipients is safe and associated with a reduction in the waiting time. Simultaneous kidney/liver transplantation (SKL) should be considered for kidney transplant candidates with HCV-related decompensated cirrhosis. Treatment of HCV is more complex in hemodialysis patients, whereas treatment of HCV recurrence in SLK recipients appears effective and safe.

Transient elastography to assess hepatic fibrosis in hemodialysis chronic hepatitis C patients

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES

Although percutaneous liver biopsy (PLB) is the gold standard for staging hepatic fibrosis in hemodialysis patients with chronic hepatitis C (CHC) before renal transplantation or antiviral therapy, concerns exist about serious postbiopsy complications. Using transient elastography (TE, Fibroscan(®)) to predict the severity of hepatic fibrosis has not been prospectively evaluated in these patients.

DESIGN, SETTING, PARTICIPANTS, & MEASUREMENTS

A total of 284 hemodialysis patients with CHC were enrolled. TE and aspartate aminotransferase-to-platelet ratio index (APRI) were performed before PLB. The severity of hepatic fibrosis was staged by METAVIR scores ranging from F0 to F4. Receiver operating characteristic curves were used to assess the diagnostic accuracy of TE and APRI, taking PLB as the reference standard.

RESULTS

The areas under curves of TE were higher than those of APRI in predicting patients with significant hepatic fibrosis (≥F2) (0.96 versus 0.84, P<0.001), those with advanced hepatic fibrosis (≥F3) (0.98 versus 0.93, P=0.04), and those with cirrhosis (F4) (0.99 versus 0.92, P=0.13). Choosing optimized liver stiffness measurements of 5.3, 8.3, and 9.2 kPa had high sensitivity (93-100%) and specificity (88-99%), and 87, 97, and 93% of the patients with a fibrosis stage of ≥F2, ≥F3, and F4 were correctly diagnosed without PLB, respectively.

CONCLUSIONS

TE is superior to APRI in assessing the severity of hepatic fibrosis and can substantially decrease the need of staging PLB in hemodialysis patients with CHC.

Hepatic disorders in chronic kidney disease

Hepatitis B virus (HBV) and hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection are the most common and serious causes of liver damage in patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD). The natural histories of HBV and HCV infections in patients with CKD are not fully understood; however, recent evidence has emphasized the adverse effect of HBV and/or HCV infection on survival in this population. Chronic liver disease is the fourth most important cause of death after renal transplantation. The negative effect of HCV infection on survival among renal transplant recipients has been linked to liver dysfunction and extrahepatic complications, such as chronic glomerulonephritis, post-transplantation diabetes mellitus, chronic allograft nephropathy, and sepsis. The transmission of HCV by solid organ transplantation has been unequivocally demonstrated. Renal transplant recipients who receive kidneys from HCV-positive donors are at increased risk of death. Although several studies have shown that in patients with HCV infection and chronic renal failure renal transplantation is associated with better survival than is dialysis, recent clinical guidelines recommend that kidneys from HCV-infected donors should not be used in HCV-seropositive recipients without detectable HCV viremia. Monotherapy with conventional interferon has been suggested to be a useful treatment for hepatitis C infection in patients on dialysis. Although no evidence suggests that patients with CKD are more prone to suffer from hepatic toxic effects than individuals with normal kidney function, patients with CKD usually receive multiple medications; and drug interactions may, therefore, have a role in the pathogenesis of drug-induced liver disease in this population.