A Taiwanese Nationwide Cohort Study Shows Interferon-Based Therapy for Chronic Hepatitis C Reduces the Risk of Chronic Kidney Disease. Issue 32 (August 2015)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Chen, Yi-Chun; Hwang, Shang-Jyh; Li, Chung-Yi; Wu, Chia-Pin; Lin, Li-Chu; Pavlos, Malindretos.
• Is Part Of: Medicine. Volume 94:Issue 32(2015)
• Publication Date: 2015-08
• Subjects: Medicine -- Periodicals; Medicine -- Periodicals; Médecine -- Périodiques; Geneeskunde; Medicine; Periodicals; Periodicals; 610.5
• DOI: 10.1097/MD.0000000000001334
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0025-7974

Abstract

<abstract> <title> <x xml:space="preserve">Abstract</x> </title> <sec> <title>Abstract</title> <p>Hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection is a risk factor for chronic kidney disease (CKD). However, it remains unclear whether interferon-based therapy (IBT) for HCV was associated with reduced risk of CKD.</p> <p>From the Taiwan National Health Insurance Research Database, we identified 919 patients who received 3 months or more of IBT as our treated cohort. This cohort was propensity score-matched 1:4 with 3676 controls who had never received IBT for HCV infection (untreated cohort). Cumulative incidences of and hazard ratios (HRs) for CKD were calculated after adjusting for competing mortality.</p> <p>In the matched HCV cohort, the risk of CKD was significantly lower in the treated cohort (7-year cumulative incidence, 2.6%; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.7%–6.9%) than in the untreated cohort (4%; 95% CI, 3.5%–5.2%) (<italic>P</italic> < 0.001), with an adjusted HR of 0.42 (95% CI, 0.20–0.92; <italic>P</italic> = 0.03). The results also held in the overall HCV cohort. The number needed to treat for 1 fewer CKD at 7 years was 58. The reduced risk of CKD was greatest (0.35; 0.14–0.87; <italic>P</italic> = 0.024) in HCV-infected patients who received 6 months or more of IBT. Multivariable stratified analysis verified that greater risk reduction of CKD was present in HCV-infected patients with hyperlipidemia, diabetes, hypertension, and those without coronary heart disease.</p> <p>In conclusion, IBT, especially for 6 or more months, is associated with reduced risk of CKD in HCV-infected patients. Hyperlipidemia, diabetes, hypertension, and coronary heart disease can modify this association.</p> </sec> </abstract>