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Study of peripheral blood natural killer cells, T ‐cell helper/ T ‐cell suppressor ratio and intercurrent infection frequency in hepatitis C seropositive prevalent hemodialysis patients
Author(s) -
Ibrahim Mohamed A.,
Mostafa Afaf A.,
ElSaid Heba W.,
Mohab Amr M.,
Hebah Hayam A.
Publication year - 2014
Publication title -
hemodialysis international
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.658
H-Index - 47
eISSN - 1542-4758
pISSN - 1492-7535
DOI - 10.1111/hdi.12220
Subject(s) - medicine , hemodialysis , immunology , hepatitis , immune system , gastroenterology , hepatitis b , hepatitis c
Hemodialysis ( HD ) may adversely affect the immune system. It is established that intercurrent infection rate and severity may be increased in prevalent HD patients. Moreover, hepatitis C viral infection, a common infection in many HD centers, may further inhibit the immune system. To our knowledge, no previous study in the literature has attempted to investigate the possible effects of hepatitis C seropositivity on rate and severity of intercurrent infection in prevalent HD patients. The aim of this study was to assess the peripheral blood CD 16‐natural killer cells, CD 4/ CD 8 ratio, as well as rate of intercurrent infection in hepatitis C seropositive prevalent HD patients as compared with hepatitis C seronegative prevalent HD patients. Twenty hepatitis C seropositive stable prevalent HD patients (group A ), as well as another twenty hepatitis C seronegative stable prevalent HD patients (group B ), were randomly selected from our HD unit and enrolled in the study. Both groups were similar in age, sex, body mass index, and duration of HD . Diabetics, smokers, and cases with advanced liver disease ( C hild classification stages B and C ) were excluded from the study. A third group (group C ) of 10 apparently healthy subjects (of similar age, sex, and body mass index), was also enrolled in the study. All subjects were investigated by complete blood count, routine chemistry, assessment of peripheral lymphocytes CD 3, CD 16, CD 4, CD 8, CD 4/ CD 8 ratio by flow cytometer, as well assessment of intercurrent infection frequency retrospectively (since the start of HD therapy and seroconversion in HD patients, and prospectively for a period of six months. Although we detected statistically significant higher frequency of intercurrent infection in both HD groups compared with the healthy group, we did not detect significant differences between hepatitis C seropositive and seronegative groups regarding frequency or severity of intercurrent infection. Moreover, we did not detect significant differences among the three studied groups regarding levels of CD 16, CD 3, CD 4, CD 8, CD 4/ CD 8 ratio in peripheral lymphocytes. It may be concluded that hepatitis C seropositive prevalent HD patients are not at increased risk of intercurrent infection as compared with hepatitis C seronegative prevalent HD patients, contrary to what is reported in hepatitis C seroconverted organ transplant candidates.