Dialysis related arthropathy in patients with or without hepatitis C virus infection

Abstract EN

Materials: Twenty-five patients receiving maintenance hemodialysis were interviewed to analyze their musculoskeletal problems.

Ten patients were diagnosed to have hepatitis C virus infection (group I) with elevated serum aminotransferase for at least 6 months, and the other 15 patients were hepatitis C virus free (group II).

The mean dialysis duration was 5.98 ? 4.81 years.

Methods: They were subjected to thorough clinical examination in addition to other laboratory tests in the form of calcium, phosphorus, alkaline phosphatase, serum glutamic oxaloacetic (SGOT) and pyruvic (SGPT) transaminase, blood sugar and parathyroid hormone, as well as erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR), rheumatoid factor (RF) and synovianalysis for the detected effusions.

Results: All patients complained of arthralgia whether in one or more joints with detectable knee effusion in 3 patients.

Soft tissue affection together with peripheral neuritis was encountered in both groups.

The RF showed a higher incidence in-group I than in-group II while the ESR had no significant difference.

As for the laboratory findings, the significant difference between the two groups was in the level of SGOT and SGPT.

The other variables showed no significant difference.

Conclusion: Prolonged hemodialysis is associated with a progressive deterioration of the joints in both groups with no significant difference in the pattern of affection.