Hepatitis C Linked with Immune-Mediated Glomerulonephritis

Occult hepatitis C (HCV)–RNA (detectable viral RNA in peripheral blood mononuclear cells or in serum after ultracentrifugation) was found in 34 of 87 patients with immune-mediated glomerulonephritis vs. 1 of 26 control patients with hereditary glomerular nephropathies. In theKidney International study serum creatinine levels were higher in patients with immune-mediated glomerulonephritis with occult HCV than in those without occult HCV (1.5 vs. 1.1 mg/dL). After adjustments, patients with immune-mediated glomerulonephritis were over 13 times more likely to have occult HCV than controls. Progression to ESRD was faster in patients with immune-mediated glomerulonephritis and occult HCV than in negative cases.