HEPATITIS-C SCREENING IN CHRONIC-HEMODIAL YSIS PATIENTS IN FRANCE - APHYSICIAN PRACTICE PATTERN STUDY

French and american consensus conferences on hepatitis C confirmed the burden of that disease, especially in high risk populations. in Franc e, the seroprevalence of HCV is about 20% among haemodialysed patients . This study aimed at describing the French screening practices in hae modialysed patients, in 1995, 1213 self-administered questionnaires we re sent to nephrologists working in 715 dialysis units. The response r ate was 48 % (585/1213) and 485 questionnaires were analysed. In 98% o f questionnaires nephrologists answered that they prescribed screening test. Routine screening with alanine amino-transferase (ALT) was repo rted in 98% of questionnaires, usually once a month (57 %) or four tim es a year (23%). Routine anti-HCV serology was reported by 96 %, usual ly once (28 %) or twice (46 %) a year. The two main annual strategies combining ALT and anti-HCV serology were 12 ALT and 2 serologies (21%) , or 12 ALT and 1 serology (14%) per year. HCV RNA detection was repor ted mainly in the case of positive anti-HCV serology (70 %). The study suggested heterogeneity in screening practices and revealed the need to determine the cost-effectiveness ratios of the various strategies.