RESUMO
In this report we present two cases of acute renal failure in paroxysmal nocturnal hemoglobinuria (PNH) patients, who both eventually recovered their renal function. We also highlight some of the possible pathophysiological changes, which may contribute to renal failure in patients with PNH.
RESUMO
One thousand four hundred and thirty nine voluntary blood donors attending the blood transfusion department at Al Noor Specialist Hospital, Makkah were screened for antibodies against hepatitis C virus (anti-HCV) by second generation enzyme linked immunosorbant assay (ELISA). A total of 52 donors (3.6%) were anti-HCV positive. Anti-HCV was detected in 1.7% of the Saudi donors as compared to 6.9% among Non-Saudi donors. Scrutiny of the data revealed a higher rate of anti-HCV in the age-group of above 40 years than in the other age groups. Further, when Non-Saudi blood donors were analysed according to their nationalities, Egyptian donors showed a prevalence of 27.2% of anti-HCV followed by Pakistanis (1.9%), Bangladeshis (1.9%), Yemenis (1.5%) and other nationalities (0.5%). When blood samples from 92 patients on maintenance hemodialysis were tested for anti-HCV, 75 (81.5%) patients were found positive for anti-HCV. We conclude that the prevalence of anti-HCV among blood donors in the Makkah region of Saudi Arabia is high and routine screening for anti-HCV should be conducted for all blood donors before they are accepted for donation.
RESUMO
We studied 408 patients on maintenance hemodialysis at four different centers in the Western province of Saudi Arabia to assess the prevalence of antibody against Hepatitis C Virus (HCV) and the possible risk factors. There were 212 males and 196 females with a mean age of 42.9 +/- 13.9 years (range 12 to 75 years). They were on dialysis for a period between 3 to 140 months with a mean of 52.2 + 38 months. Assay for anti-HCV was made by second generation ELISA. A total of 295 patients (72.3%) tested positive. The prevalence rates varied considerably among the four centers studied and were as follows: the center at Jeddah, 62.7%; two centers at Makkah, 87% and 79.7% respectively and one center at Taif, 80.9%. A total of 311 patients had received varying number of blood transfusions. Of these, 230 (74%) were anti-HCV positive as against 97 patients who were never transfused of whom 65 (67%) were positive. This difference did not reach statistical significance (P = 0.22). Similarly, we found no significant correlation between the anti-HCV prevalence rates and serum alanine transaminase levels (P = 0.93). Our study further confirms that there are routes other than blood transfusion involved in the transmission of the HCV and there is a need to determine these routes in order to prevent the spread of this virus.
RESUMO
One hundred and forty nine patients with end-stage renal disease on regular hemodialysis were screened for antibodies against hepatitis C virus (HCV) and hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg). The overall prevalence of anti-HCV was 84.6%. All patients were examined for liver functions and serum protein electrophoretic patterns. A total of 23 patients (15.4%) were negative for both anti-HCV and HBsAg (Group I), 126 (84.6%) were positive only for anti-HCV (Group II), and 12 (8.1%) patients were positive for both anti-HCV and HBsAg (Group III). No significant correlation was noted between the elevation of liver enzymes and the groups studied. A significant increase in total proteins and gamma globulin levels were observed in Groups II and III in comparison with Group I (P < 0.05). Serum albumin levels were significantly decreased and alpha-1 and beta globulin levels were significantly increased in group III patients as compared to Groups I and II (P < 0.05). The finding of a significant increase in gamma globulin levels in Groups II and III as compared to Group I requires immunoglobulin typing, an observation being currently investigated.
