Clinical and Experimental Hepatology

Abstract

2/2019 vol. 5
Original paper

Prevalence of hepatitis C virus infection in patients hospitalised for ischemic heart disease versus controls – PRO-CARDIO-C study

Anna Piekarska 1
,
Aleksandra Mamzer-Dachnowska 2
,
Jarosław D. Kasprzak 2
,
Jan Z. Peruga 2
,
Andrzej Kaszuba 3
,
Aleksandra Berkan-Kawińska 1
  1. Department of Infectious Diseases and Hepatology, Medical University of Lodz, Poland
  2. Chair and Department of Cardiology, Medical University of Lodz, Poland
  3. Department of Dermatology, Medical University of Lodz, Poland
Clin Exp HEPATOL 2019; 5, 2: 118–122
DOI: https://doi.org/10.5114/ceh.2019.84782
Online publish date: 2019/05/08
View full text
Confronting perimenopausal women’s knowledge of coronary heart disease with their health behaviours. Controversial role of hormone replacement therapy in the protection of coronary heart disease

Aim of the study

Ongoing national screening programmes suggest that the prevalence of chronic hepatitis C (CHC) in Poland ranges between 0.5% and 1%. It has been recently noted that patients with confirmed coronary artery disease may be at higher risk for hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection.

Material and methods

Testing for the presence of anti-HCV antibodies was performed in a group of patients admitted to the Cardiology Department with symptomatic ischemic heart disease (IHD) and in patients hospitalised in the Dermatology Department.

Results

A total of 1171 patients underwent anti-HCV testing: 672 patients in the Cardiology Department (K group) and 499 patients in the Dermatology Department (D group). Twenty-eight (2.4%) positive anti-HCV results were detected. The prevalence of positive anti-HCV antibodies in groups K and D was 2.23% and 2.61%, respectively (p > 0.05). Presence of HCV RNA was confirmed in 15 cases (1.28%) – 7 patients in group K and 8 patients in group D (1.04% and 1.6%, respectively; p > 0.05).

Conclusions

Our findings suggest that this patient cohort has increased risk of HCV infection, which may influence screening strategies.

Keywords

hepatitis C, coronary artery disease, anti-HCV antibody, screening, HCV treatment

Share
Coverage in
Integrated with
Editorial Policies
Sarajevo Declaration on Integrity and Visibility of Scholarly Publications