Patients undergoing maintenance hemodialysis(HD) potentially have an increased risk of exposure to viral hepatitis. The reported prevalence of antiHCV in hemodialysis patients varied widely form 7.6-54% according to dialysis center and there were there were many reports that showed the correlation between the prevalence of antiHCV and duration of HD or transfusion amount.

Fifty-four patients on regular hemodialysis at our hospital were evaluated for the presence of hepatitic C antibody(antiHCV) with the comparison of various parameters such as duration of HD, amount of transfusion, past history of hepatitis, serologic markers of hepatitis B and current liver function. AntiHCV using second-generation enzyme linked immunosorbant assay were found in six of 54HD patients(11.1%). Among six antiHCV(+) percent four patients were found to have HCV-RNA in their plasma detected by PCR. The percent of male patients were significantly higher in antiHCV(+) group(66.7 vs 31.3%, p<0.05). The positivity of antiHCV did not correlated with the duration of HD and amount of transfusion(p>0.05), but prevalence increased over 2 years (5.9% in 1991, 11.1% in 1993) and HBsAg prevalence remained unchanged(9.8% in 1991, 9.3% in 1993).

Therefore, regular follow-up of liver function test and use of separate machine for antiHCV positive patients may be needed to prevent the transmission of the hepatitis C virus during the hemodialysis process itself.

Myxoma of the left atrium is known to mimic the clinical and hemodynamic features of mitral valvular disease. The tumor was diagnosed by using the Echophonocardiography, CAT-scanning, and hemodynamic studies including left heart catheterization and angiography. The diagnosis was confirmed at operation. An electrocardiographic timing signal permitted correlation of heart sounds and pressure waves with movement of the tumor between the left atrium and the left ventricle. In early systole, the tumor suddenly moved from left ventricle to the left atrium, and a notch in the rising left ventricular pressure, a prominant c-wave, and loud, late element of the first heart sound were noted. In early diastole, the tumor moved rapidly through the mitral valve, causing an abrupt diminution in the left atrial volume, thus-causing rapid y-descent despite severe obstruction of the mitral valve. An early diastolic sound, thought to be an opening snap, appeared to be related to the checking of the tumor in the left ventricle.(Tumor plop). The unusual left atrial pressure pulse permits accurate preoperative diagnosis in left atrial myxoma. In this respect we evaluated the accuracy of the preoperative noninvasive studies for the diagnosis of intra-cardiac myxoma.