| Theme |
Disease of Liver, Gallbladder, Spleen, and Pancreas in Dialysis Patients |
| Title |
Treatment for chronic hepatitis C in hemodialysis patients |
| Author |
Tamotsu Tojimbara |
Department of Surgery, Kidney Center, Tokyo Women's Medical University |
| Author |
Koutaro Kai |
Department of Surgery, Kidney Center, Tokyo Women's Medical University |
| Author |
Ichiro Nakajima |
Department of Surgery, Kidney Center, Tokyo Women's Medical University |
| Author |
Shohei Fuchinoue |
Department of Surgery, Kidney Center, Tokyo Women's Medical University |
| Author |
Satoshi Teraoka |
Department of Surgery, Kidney Center, Tokyo Women's Medical University |
| [ Summary ] |
Chronic hepatitis C infection is a slowly progressive disease, which nevertheless carries a risk of long-term sequela, such as cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma. Although the standard treatment for hepatitis C in patients with normal renal functions is interferon therapy, there have been some reports in which interferon therapy was performed on hemodialysis patients with hepatitis C. The incidence of side effects of IFN in hemodialysis patients was markedly higher than that in nonuremic patients with hepatitis C, which may be due to elevated serum IFN levels. It is reported, however, that response rates for IFN therapy are more promising in hemodialysis patients with hepatitis C than in the general population. Better understanding of the IFN pharmacokinetics in hemodialysis patients may be a key that will lead to successful IFN therapy and prevent serious adverse events in those patients. |