To gain insight into the long-term effect of interferon-a (IFN-a) therapy on hepatitis C virus (HCV) RNA -positive hemodialysis patients, 23 subjects were given 3 MU of IFN-a 3 times a week for 6 (n Å 12) or 12 months (n Å 11). They were followed for 19 months after cessation of therapy. Sustained serum HCV RNA clearance occurred in 42% of patients treated for 6 months and in 64% of those treated for 12 months. HCV was eradicated from 6 of 13 patients infected with HCV genotype 1b and from 2 of 6 patients also infected with hepatitis G virus. HCV RNA remained undetectable in both serum and a liver biopsy of 2 patients who were given cadaveric kidney transplants after IFN-a treatment. These data suggest that HCV RNA -positive dialysis patients can be considered for treatment while receiving dialysis, particularly those awaiting transplant.France were included in this pilot study. None of these patients Patients receiving maintenance hemodialysis frequently be-

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Abstract. 47 patients with chronic renal failure were investigated for plasma 25‐hydroxycholecalciferol (25‐OH D3) concentration, serum calcium, phosphorus, alkaline phosphatase. 22 patients had chronic haemodialysis twice weekly. There is a highly significant positive coefficient of correlation between calcaemia and 25‐OH D3 plasma concentration. Levels of serum calcium had previously been shown to correlate well with the presence and type of osteodystrophies in chronic renal failure. Since these patients may be unable to synthesize 1,25 dihydroxy D3, the metabolite of vitamin D3 considered to be active on intestine and bone, a direct role of 25‐OH D3 in the regulation of calcium metabolism may have to be considered.

Abdominal fat tissue aspiration was used in 22 long-term hemodialysis patients (5–17 years). Fourteen of these patients had carpal tunnel syndrome and amyloid deposits of β₂-microglobulin in the synovium. One patient had a spontaneous rupture of the spleen with amyloid deposits in spleen vessels. Seven other patients presented carpal tunnel syndrome and/or articular pains, and radiological lytic lesions in bone, strongly suggesting an amyloid origin. As a control group, in 22 patients with biopsy-proven amyloidosis, abdominal fat tissue aspirates were performed and were studied under the same conditions: by light microscopy these tissues were stained with Congo red and examined with a polarizing microscope; these specimens were also studied by electron microscopy. In all hemodialyzed patients, no amyloid deposit was present in fat tissue with Congo red staining and by electron microscopy. On the contrary, amyloid was observed in 17 of 22 cases in other types of amyloidosis. It seems that this method which has been proved to be simple and sensitive for the diagnosis of systemic amyloidosis is not a good marker for the presence of amyloid in long-term hemodialysis patients.