Is early virological response as predictive of the hepatitis C treatment response in dialysis patients as in non-uremic patients?

Objective: the aim of the present study was to determine whether hepatitis C virus (HCV) RNA present at week 12 is a good predictor of the response to interferon (IFN) monotherapy in hemodialysis patients with hepatitis C.Methods: Hemodialysis patients with hepatitis C who were treated between 1997 and 2008 with IFN monotherapy for 48 weeks without dose reduction were included. the predictive value of HCV RNA at week 12 for achieving a sustained virological response (SVR) was determined.Results: Forty patients (mean age 47 +/- 9 years; 75% males and 80% with genotype 1) were included. Septal fibrosis or cirrhosis was observed in 38% of these patients. Twelve (30%) of the 40 patients achieved SVR. HCV RNA was undetectable at week 12 in 68%. the positive predictive value of HCV RNA at week 12 was 45% and the negative predictive value was 100%.Conclusions: the presence of HCV RNA at week 12 had a high negative predictive value for SVR in hemodialysis patients with chronic hepatitis C treated with IFN for 48 weeks. Therefore, if HCV RNA is detected at week 12, treatment should be discontinued due to the low probability of a sustained response. (0 2012 International Society for Infectious Diseases. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved