Executive Summary of the KDIGO 2022 Clinical Practice Guideline for the Prevention, Diagnosis, Evaluation, and Treatment of Hepatitis C in Chronic Kidney Disease

Abstract

Infection with the hepatitis C virus (HCV) has adverse liver, kidney, and cardiovascular consequences in patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD), including those on dialysis therapy or with a kidney transplant. Since the publication of the Kidney Disease: Improving Global Outcomes (KDIGO) HCV Guideline in 2018, advances in HCV management, particularly in the field of antiviral therapy and treatment of HCV-associated glomerular diseases, coupled with increased usage of HCV-positive kidney grafts, have prompted a reexamination of the 2018 guideline. As a result, the Work Group performed a comprehensive review and revised the 2018 guidance. This Executive Summary highlights key aspects of the updated guideline recommendations for 3 chapters: Chapter 2: Treatment of HCV infection in patients with CKD; Chapter 4: Management of HCV-infected patients before and after kidney transplantation; and Chapter 5: Diagnosis and management of kidney diseases associated with HCV infection.

Keywords: KDIGO; chronic kidney disease; cryoglobulinemia; dialysis; direct-acting antivirals; glomerular diseases; guideline; hemodialysis; hepatitis C virus; infection control; kidney transplantation; liver testing; nosocomial transmission; screening; systematic review.