ABSTRACT
The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of hepatitis C virus antibodies in high rosk patients coming from Valdivia, Osorno and Puerto Montt. Fiftysix patients in hemodialysis, 51 renal grafts recipients, 42 cirrhotic and 14 patients with acute non A non B hepatitis were studied. Antibodies were detected with a second generation ELISA technique and positive cases were confirmed with RIBA. All hemodialysis patients and renal grafts recipients were negative for hepatitis C virus antibodies. In one non alcoholic patient with cirrhosis, a positive ALISA was confirmed with RIBA. Six patients with acute hepatitis had a positive ALISA tests but none was confirmed with RIBA. It is concluded that the prevalence of hepatitis C virus antibodies in this region of Chile is very low
Subject(s)
Humans , Male , Female , Adolescent , Adult , Middle Aged , Hepatitis C/epidemiology , Hepacivirus/isolation & purification , Risk Groups , Hepatitis Antibodies/isolation & purification , Cross-Sectional Studies , Risk Factors , Kidney Transplantation/adverse effects , Liver Cirrhosis/complications , Renal Dialysis/adverse effectsABSTRACT
We studied 78 patients with a diagnosis of IgA nephropathy. Renal biopsy was indicated in 69 patients by the presence of macroscopic hematuria (52%), microhematuria or renal failure (14%) or hephritic syndrome (1%). Nine were healthy subjects being studied as live kidney donors. An association with IgG and/or IgM was present in 92% of patients. Serum IgA was elevated in 36% of patients. Hypertension was present in 30% and decreased renal function in 29%. Patients with serum creatinine above 1,5 mg/dl tended to be older (33.8 vs 28.7 years) and to have hypertension (52% vs 19%). among 25 pátients followed for more than 12 months renal function remained stable in 44%, deteriorated in 20% and 36% developed renal failure. the latter was associated to older age, hypertension, abscense of macroscopic hematuria and nephrotic syndrome. The 9 live donors had no clinical manifestations of renal disease. Thus, IgA nephropathy is a highly variable clinical manifestations and its prognosis. An asymptomatic course is demonstrated in some subjects