Abstract

The aim of the present study was to determine the relationship, if any of HBV, HCV and CMV infections in patients treated with repeated haemodialyses to the amount of transfused blood. Attention was focused on a seroconversion phenomenon in HBV and HCV positive people. The study included 53 patients (22 males, aged 26-63 years, mean 44.81 years and 31 females, aged 20-70 years, mean 46.06 years) treated with repeated haemodialyses because of end-stage renal failure. In our research we estimated the number of erythrocytes given to patients during haemodialysis sessions in their haemodialysis departments. From the study group 30 patients were qualified to enter the programme of the r-hEPO treatment (after satisfying the entry criteria i.e. exclusion of inflammatory processes, supplementation of iron and folic acid to reach the normal level, control of aluminium level). The patients started their r-hEPO treatment at different times from the beginning of haemodialysotherapy. In these 30 patients in whom the r-hEPO treatment was introduced at a later stage 75,600 ml of RBCs were transfused prior to the initiation of r-hEPO therapy. In 15 additional patients anaemia caused by renal failure and loss of blood during haemodialyses was successfully treated with the RBC transfusion. These 15 patients received 42,000 ml of RBCs (the mean amount was 2,800 ml per person). In 8 patients no transfusion was performed and 5 of those were treated with erythropoietin.
Results/Conclusions: 1.The risk of HBV and HCV infection increased with the amount of RBCs transfused in groups I and II. 2. In group III the number of HBV, HCV and CMV infections and coexisting infections did not differ from the number of infections in subgroup A of group I and subgroup E of group II. 3.The possibility of an HCV infection increased with the duration of the haemodialysotherapy in all groups. 4. The risk of coexisting infections increased with the duration of the haemodialysotherapy.

Keywords: Blood Transfusion, haemodialysotherap, HBV, HCV and CMV infections, secondary anaemia