NATIONAL SURVEILLANCE OF DIALYSIS-ASSOCIATED DISEASES IN THE UNITED-STATES - 1994

Dialysis centers in the United States were Surveyed in 1994 regarding a number of hemodialysis associated diseases and practices. A total of 2,449 centers, representing 206,884 patients and 50,314 staff members , responded. In 1994, 99% of centers used bicarbonate dialysate as the primary method of dialysis, 45% used high flux dialysis, and 75% reus ed dialyzers. Hepatitis B vaccine had been administered to 31% of pati ents and to 80% of staff members. Acute infection with hepatitis B vir us occurred in 0.1% of patients and was more likely to be reported by centers with lower proportions of patients vaccinated against hepatiti s B virus and those not using a separate room and dialysis machine to treat hepatitis B surface antigen positive patients. The prevalence of antibody to hepatitis C virus was 10.5% among patients and 1.9% among staff members and varied according to geographic region. Pyrogenic re actions in the absence of septicemia were reported by 22% of centers a nd were most highly associated with dialyzer reuse. Human immunodefici ency virus infection was reported to be present in 1.5% of patients; 3 7% of centers provided hemodialysis to one or more patients infected w ith human immunodeficiency virus.