STAGE-DEPENDENT HEPATITIS C RISK AND OUTCOMES IN PRE-DIALYSIS CHRONIC KIDNEY DISEASE

Abstract

Hepatitis C virus (HCV) is a significant comorbidity in chronic kidney disease (CKD), yet its prevalence in pre-dialysis populations is underexplored. This cross-sectional study assessed 220 pre-dialysis CKD patients at a tertiary care hospital in Karachi. HCV screening was performed via ELISA, and demographic, clinical, and laboratory data were analyzed using SPSS v16. HCV prevalence was 13.2% (n=29), predominantly in Stage 4 CKD (86.2%, p<0.001), with no cases detected in Stages 2–3. Traditional metabolic risk factors, including hypertension and diabetes, were not significantly associated with HCV positivity. Lower education levels showed a marginal association (p=0.03), while blood transfusions and surgical history were non-significant. These results indicate that HCV disproportionately affects advanced pre-dialysis CKD patients, independent of conventional metabolic risks. The findings support routine HCV screening in Stage 4 CKD and timely antiviral therapy to mitigate renal decline, alongside targeted prevention strategies considering socioeconomic determinants.