Premium
Kinetics of hepatitis C viral RNA and HCV‐antigen during dialysis sessions: Evidence for differential viral load reduction on dialysis
Author(s) -
Kaiser Thorsten,
Damerow Hans C.,
Tenckhoff Solveig,
Finger Andrea,
Böttcher Isabella,
Hafer Carsten,
Schwarz Anke,
Lüth Johann B.,
Gürtler Hans Schmidt,
Colucci Giuseppe,
Manns Michael P.,
Wedemeyer Heiner,
Tillmann Hans L.
Publication year - 2008
Publication title -
journal of medical virology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.782
H-Index - 121
eISSN - 1096-9071
pISSN - 0146-6615
DOI - 10.1002/jmv.21190
Subject(s) - bdna test , hepatitis c virus , dialysis , medicine , virology , hemodialysis , hepatitis c , viral load , rna , antigen , hepacivirus , immunology , virus , biology , biochemistry , gene
Hepatitis C infection is a common problem in dialysis units. The prevalence ranges from 3% to more than 50%. Several reports have described a variable reduction of HCV‐RNA during hemodialysis treatment sessions. But so far nothing is known about the HCV antigenemia or the kinetics of the reduction of HCV‐RNA and HCV antigenemia during these sessions. HCV‐RNA was monitored using the VERSANT HCV bDNA assay 3.0 (Bayer Healthcare Diagnostics, Leverkusen, Germany) or the HCV‐Monitor TaqMan (Roche Diagnostics). HCV antigenemia was tested by using Ortho‐trac‐C® assay (Ortho Clinical Diagnostics, Neckargemünd, Germany). Kinetics of HCV‐RNA were available in 15 dialysis sessions measured by bDNA assay and in 5 dialysis sessions measured by rt‐PCR. Quantitative HCV‐antigenemia was available in fourteen dialysis sessions. Not only HCV‐RNA but as expected also the HCV‐antigenemia fell during the dialysis session. However, while the average reduction of HCV‐antigen appears steady and linear, the level of HCV‐RNA seems to be stable during the first 3 hr of dialysis, and decreases rapidly during the last 2 hr. The results seem to be independent of the HCV‐RNA detection method. The different kinetics of HCV RNA and HCV antigen load suggest that there are different mechanisms responsible for the reduction of the HCV antigen and HCV‐RNA, respectively. Reduction of viral load during dialysis session indicates a potential benefit of dialysis in case of HCV associated antiviral therapy. J. Med. Virol. 80: 1195–1201, 2008. © 2008 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.