PERSISTENCE OF ANTIBODIES TO HEPATITIS-C VIRUS IN A CHRONIC-HEMODIALYSIS POPULATION

In order to evaluate the persistence of antibodies against hepatitis C virus (HCV) in a chronic hemodialysis population, we studied 151 HBsAg-negative patients. Anti-HCV titers were evaluated every 3 months over 1 year, and the serum alanine aminotransferase/serum aspartate aminotransferase ratio monthly from the start of hemodialysis. The anti-HCV titers (ELISA C100-3) remained stable in 127 patients and fluctuated in 24, without an evident correlation with hepatic function. Using our criteria, we found 85 patients with non-A, non-B hepatitis, 57 of them with biochemical criteria of chronic hepatic disease. There was a strong correlation between antibodies to HCV and non-A, non-B hepatitis (chi(2); p<0.05) which was more marked in those patients with biochemical criteria of chronic hepatic disease (chi(2); p<0.001). We concluded that the anti-HCV titer is reliable as a long-term marker of hepatitis C virus infection.