HCV ups kidney disease risk even after resolution

Both resolved and chronic infections of hepatitis C virus (HCV) lead to a higher risk of developing kidney disease, a recent study has found. This effect is further pronounced in genotype 1 HCV.

Researchers conducted a population-based cross-sectional study of 44,998 adults (mean age 46.7 years, 49.8 percent men) who had participated in the 1999–2018 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. Kidney disease was defined as prevalent estimated glomerular filtration rate <60 mL/min/1.73 m2 or urinary albumin-to-creatinine ratio ≥30/mg.

Kidney disease was reported in 23.5 percent and 20.1 percent of participants with resolved or chronic HBV infections, respectively. In both cases, prevalence rates were significantly higher as compared with no-HCV controls (14.8 percent; p<0.001 for both).

Multiple logistic regression confirmed that the risk of kidney disease remained significantly elevated in those with resolved HCV infection as opposed to controls (adjusted odds ratio [OR], 1.40, 95 percent confidence interval [CI], 1.02–1.93). Such risk elevation remained true in those with chronic HCV (adjusted OR, 1.26, 95 percent CI, 1.01–1.57).

Moreover, HCV genotype 1 was also associated with an increased likelihood of kidney disease (adjusted OR, 1.41, 95 percent CI, 1.09–1.82), but no such effect was documented for genotype 2 or other genotypes. Of note, the likelihood of kidney disease was more than twice higher in those with genotype 1 HCV as compared with other genotypes (adjusted OR, 2.20, 95 percent CI, 1.07–4.53).

“Future studies are warranted to determine the impact of various genotypes on kidney disease risk,” the researchers said.