Abstract
We prospectively monitored the serum levels of HCV core protein every 3 months for a year in 13 hemodialysis patients who were positive for HCV RNA. HCV core protein levels in these patients were significantly lower than in those chronically infected with HCV but not receiving hemodialysis (average 1632 vs 7932 fmol/l, p=0.0009. )A significant reduction in the HCV core protein levels, from 1822 to 1444 fmol/l in average (p<0.002), was observed by a single hemodialysis procedure. Similar reduction (about 20%) was also observed at the end of the follow-up period, even though the difference was not statistically significant. Decrease in HCV by hemodialysis procedure might be associated with the slow progression of hepatitis in hemodialysis patients with HCV infection.
