Hepatitis C virus infection among hemodialysis patients in Asia: a meta-analysis

Y.-B. Liu, J.-Z. Xie, C.-I. Zhong, K. Liu

Centre of Infectious Diseases, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China. kailiu2013@hotmail.com

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• Infectious Diseases

OBJECTIVE: Current studies reported that patients with hemodialysis duration for three years or more were prone to infection than those with less than three years. This meta-analysis was to assess the prevalence rate and explore the risk factors of hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection among hemodialysis patients in Asia population.

MATERIALS AND METHODS: Embase and PubMed databases were retrieved in 16 September, 2013 for cross-sectional studies, retrospective cohort studies or prospective cohort study about the prevalence of HCV infection of hemodialysis patients in Asian region. The prevalence rate and 95% confidence interval (CI) were used for pooled analysis.

RESULTS: The combined effect of overall HCV prevalence rate in hemodialysis patients of Asian countries was 0.31 (95% CI: 0.24-0.38). Subgroup analysis showed that the prevalence rate among men was 0.28 (95% CI: 0.20-0.35), while the prevalence rate among women was 0.23 (95% CI: 0.17-0.30). Male were more vulnerable to be infected than female population (RR = 1.24, 95% CI: 1.08-1.42). Blood transfusion elevated the risk of HCV infection (RR = 0.82, 95% CI: 0.70-0.95). Short-term hemodialysis population had lower risk of infection than those who receiving the long-term hemodialysis (RR = 0.55, 95% CI: 0.34-0.91).

CONCLUSIONS: The overall HCV prevalence rate of hemodialysis patients in Asian region remained at a high level of 31%, which might be increased by long-term hemodialysis and blood transfusion than people without hemodialysis. More attention and effective preventive measures are necessary.

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