TY - JOUR
T1 - Hepatitis C infection and the risk of bacteremia in hemodialysis patients with tunneled vascular access catheters
AU - Reddy, Shilpa
AU - Sullivan, Robert
AU - Zaiden, Robert
AU - De Mendoza, Victor Lopez
AU - Naik, Nimish
AU - Vega, Kenneth J
AU - Nahman, Norris Stanley
AU - Alexandraki, Irene
PY - 2009/4
Y1 - 2009/4
N2 - BACKGROUND: The major complication of tunneled vascular catheters in dialysis patients is infection. In preliminary work, an association was noted between hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection and bacteremia in these patients. On this basis, we theorized that HCV infection may be associated with bacteremia in dialysis patients with tunneled catheters. METHODS: We conducted a two-phase clinical study to define the association between HCV infection and bacteremia in hemodialysis patients with catheters. Phase 1 was a cross-sectional study designed to assess the association between HCV serologic status and bacteremia. Phase 2 was a prospective study that examined the relationship between HCV viral load and bacteremia. RESULTS: In Phase 1, HCV (+) patients had a significantly greater prevalence of bacteremia than HCV (-) patients (61 vs 7.7% respectively, P < 0.05). In Phase 2, the presence of detectable virus was associated with a numerical trend toward an increase in the incidence of bacteremia (40 vs 0% for patients with and without detectable virus, respectively, P = 0.09). CONCLUSION: These studies suggest that HCV infection may be associated with the development of bacteremia in hemodialysis patients with tunneled catheters.
AB - BACKGROUND: The major complication of tunneled vascular catheters in dialysis patients is infection. In preliminary work, an association was noted between hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection and bacteremia in these patients. On this basis, we theorized that HCV infection may be associated with bacteremia in dialysis patients with tunneled catheters. METHODS: We conducted a two-phase clinical study to define the association between HCV infection and bacteremia in hemodialysis patients with catheters. Phase 1 was a cross-sectional study designed to assess the association between HCV serologic status and bacteremia. Phase 2 was a prospective study that examined the relationship between HCV viral load and bacteremia. RESULTS: In Phase 1, HCV (+) patients had a significantly greater prevalence of bacteremia than HCV (-) patients (61 vs 7.7% respectively, P < 0.05). In Phase 2, the presence of detectable virus was associated with a numerical trend toward an increase in the incidence of bacteremia (40 vs 0% for patients with and without detectable virus, respectively, P = 0.09). CONCLUSION: These studies suggest that HCV infection may be associated with the development of bacteremia in hemodialysis patients with tunneled catheters.
KW - Bacteremia
KW - Hemodialysis
KW - Hepatitis C
KW - Tunneled catheters
KW - Vascular access catheters
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U2 - 10.1097/SMJ.0b013e31819bc34c
DO - 10.1097/SMJ.0b013e31819bc34c
M3 - Article
C2 - 19279528
AN - SCOPUS:67651146539
SN - 0038-4348
VL - 102
SP - 374
EP - 377
JO - Southern medical journal
JF - Southern medical journal
IS - 4
ER -