ArticlePloS one2018
Determination of anti-HCV and quantification of HCV-RNA and IP-10 from dried blood spots sent by regular mail.
Article in PloS one, 2018. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 5 papers.
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Who cites it
5 citing papers in PubMed.
- A Framework for Emergency Department-Integrated Hepatitis C Test-and-Treat in the United States.Journal of viral hepatitis · 2026Review
- HCV RNA quantification using the Cobas Plasma Separation Card as an alternative to EDTA plasma: a prospective multicenter study.Scientific reports · 2026Article
- Sensitivity and specificity of dried blood spot samples for hepatitis C virus RNA testing.BMC infectious diseases · 2025Article
- Feasibility of dried blood spot for hepatitis C diagnosis in vulnerable subjects and people living in remote areas from Brazil.BMC infectious diseases · 2022Article
- Galectin-9 and CXCL10 as Biomarkers for Disease Activity in Juvenile Dermatomyositis: A Longitudinal Cohort Study and Multicohort Validation.Arthritis & rheumatology (Hoboken, N.J.) · 2019Article
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Authors and funding
4 authors.
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Abstract
backgroundWith the introduction of direct acting antivirals, treatment of hepatitis C virus (HCV) in hard-to-reach populations is now feasible. Therefore, new cost-effective and reliable test methods are needed. Determination of HCV antibodies and HCV-RNA from dried blood spots samples could represent one such method. Here we examined whether anti-HCV could be detected-and HCV-RNA quantified-from dried blood spots, sent by regular mail. We also investigated, if IP-10 determined from dried blood spots correlated with fibrosis progression appraised by transient elastography.
methodForty chronic HCV infected patients were consecutively enrolled. At baseline and after six months, dried blood spots were prepared from blood collected by venous puncture, dried for 4-6 hours, then stored in gas-impermeable plastic bags with a desiccator, before being sent by regular mail. At each visit, approximately six months apart, paired venous samples was obtained and analyzed for anti-HCV, HCV-RNA and IP-10.
resultsAnti-HCV was found in 66/67 of the dried blood spots. Sixty-six paired samples were available for HCV-RNA analysis. A statistically significant correlation was found between log HCV-RNA concentrations in plasma, and log HCV-RNA obtained from (P < 0.0001, Pearson's R 0.6788, R2 0.4607). HCV-RNA, derived from DBS samples, was lower than the corresponding plasma concentration, reflected by a Bland-Altman bias of 3 with SD of bias ± 0.6472. We found no correlation between IP-10 and fibrosis progression.
conclusionsWe identified anti-HCV in 66/67samples, and quantified IP-10 and HCV-RNA from dried blood spots, dried at room temperature and sent by regular mail. HCV-RNA concentrations from the dried blood spots were lower than corresponding plasma values; a probable result of heparin coated test tubes. We found no correlation between IP-10 and fibrosis progression. Overall, dried blood spots could be a cost-effective and easy-to-use alternative to standard tests for the diagnosis of HCV infections.
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