Prevalence of viral hepatitis C in patients with inflammatory bowel disease in the region of Nice and evaluation of risk factors.

Objectives - To estimate the prevalence of viral hepatitis C markers and to determine independent risk factors in a population of patients with inflam matory bowel disease. Methods - We studied 117 consecutive out-patients (male/female, 53/64; mean age 41 +/- 16 yrs) with ulcerative colitis (43 patients) or Crohn's diseas e (74 patients). Anti-hepatitis C virus antibodies were tested with a third generation Elisa test. The following risk factors were tested for each pat ient duration of inflammatory bowel disease, number of colonoscopies, histo ry of surgical procedures, blood transfusions, intravenous drug abuse and i mmunosuppressive treatments. Results - The seroprevalence of hepatitis C virus was 5.98% (7/117). The on ly risk factor independently associated with serological markers For hepati tis C virus was blood transfusion (odds ratio: 7.77; confidence interval: 9 5% (1.63-49.09); P = 0.012). Conclusions - The prevalence of hepatitis C virus infection was high in pat ients with inflammatory bowel disease, mainly due to blood transfusions. Co lonoscopies and surgical procedures were not found to be additional risk fa ctors for infection with hepatitis C virus.