Hepatitis C virus infection and chronic renal disease: A review

Abstract

Hepatitis C virus (HCV) is a parenterally-transmitted hepatotropic virus that often causes chronic infection, which can progress to cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma. Development of highly effective direct-acting anti-viral agents (DAAs) has led to a paradigm change in the treatment of HCV infection over the last 4-5 years. Patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD) are at a higher risk of acquiring HCV infection. In these patients, diagnosis of HCV infection, assessment of the consequent liver disease and management of HCV infection pose some specific problems. This article reviews the available recent information on HCV infection and CKD, including the association between these conditions and their effect on each other, and prevention, evaluation, and management of HCV infection in persons with CKD. This review looks at this issue particularly from the perspective of readers in Asia, especially India, since the epidemiology of HCV-CKD association and the repertoire of anti-HCV drugs available in this region differ from those elsewhere.