HCV-infected Recipients (HCV-infect + recipient)

Distribution by Scientific Domains


Selected Abstracts


Single nucleotide insertion in the 5,-untranslated region of hepatitis C virus with clearance of the viral RNA in a liver transplant recipient during acute hepatitis B virus superinfection

LIVER INTERNATIONAL, Issue 1 2002
Consolato Sergi
Abstract: Hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection is an important etiology in patients undergoing orthotopic liver transplantation (OLT) world-wide. Antiviral therapy-related clearance of HCV RNA may occur both in patients with chronic HCV infection and in transplanted patients for HCV-related liver cirrhosis, but the role of the 5,-untranslated region (UTR) of HCV containing the internal ribosome entry site (IRES), which directs the translation of the viral open reading frame has not hitherto been evaluated. We studied the 5,-UTR in an HCV-infected recipient of a liver graft that showed spontaneous clearance of HCV RNA during an acute hepatitis B virus (HBV) superinfection. Sequencing of the 5,-UTR of HCV showed a nucleotide A insertion at position 193 of the IRES. [source]


Outcomes in hepatitis C virus,infected recipients of living donor vs. deceased donor liver transplantation,,§¶

LIVER TRANSPLANTATION, Issue 1 2007
Norah A. Terrault
In this retrospective study of hepatitis C virus (HCV),infected transplant recipients in the 9-center Adult to Adult Living Donor Liver Transplantation Cohort Study, graft and patient survival and the development of advanced fibrosis were compared among 181 living donor liver transplant (LDLT) recipients and 94 deceased donor liver transplant (DDLT) recipients. Overall 3-year graft and patient survival were 68% and 74% in LDLT, and 80% and 82% in DDLT, respectively. Graft survival, but not patient survival, was significantly lower for LDLT compared to DDLT (P = 0.04 and P = 0.20, respectively). Further analyses demonstrated lower graft and patient survival among the first 20 LDLT cases at each center (LDLT ,20) compared to later cases (LDLT > 20; P = 0.002 and P = 0.002, respectively) and DDLT recipients (P < 0.001 and P = 0.008, respectively). Graft and patient survival in LDLT >20 and DDLT were not significantly different (P = 0.66 and P = 0.74, respectively). Overall, 3-year graft survival for DDLT, LDLT >20, and LDLT ,20 were 80%, 79% and 55%, with similar results conditional on survival to 90 days (84%, 87% and 68%, respectively). Predictors of graft loss beyond 90 days included LDLT ,20 vs. DDLT (hazard ratio [HR] = 2.1, P = 0.04), pretransplant hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) (HR = 2.21, P = 0.03) and model for end-stage liver disease (MELD) at transplantation (HR = 1.24, P = 0.04). In conclusion, 3-year graft and patient survival in HCV-infected recipients of DDLT and LDLT >20 were not significantly different. Important predictors of graft loss in HCV-infected patients were limited LDLT experience, pretransplant HCC, and higher MELD at transplantation. Liver Transpl 13:122,129, 2007. © 2006 AASLD. [source]


Recurrence of hepatitis C infection: Where are we now?

LIVER TRANSPLANTATION, Issue S2 2005
Michael Charlton
Key Points 1Hepatitis C-associated liver failure is the most common indication for liver transplantation, and approximately 10% of HCV-infected recipients will die or lose their allograft secondary to recurrent HCV infection. 2Risk factors associated with histological recurrence of HCV include donor (age, fat content, ischemic time, and living donor), recipient (age and non-Caucasian race), clinical (rejection and CMV), and viral (viral load and quasispecies). 3Treatment of recipients with histological recurrence is with pegylated IFN (± ribavirin). The role of hepatitis C immunoglobulin in the management of postransplant HCV is still evolving. (Liver Transpl 2005;11:S57,S62.) [source]


The role of immunosuppression in recurrence of hepatitis C

LIVER TRANSPLANTATION, Issue 11 2003
John R. Lake
Key points 1. Recurrent hepatitis C is an increasing problem posttransplantation. 2. It is difficult to determine histologically if alloimmunity, i.e., rejection, is also plays a role in posttransplantation hepatitis C. 3. Change in the degree of immunosuppression, rather than the absolute amount of immunosuppression, is bad for HCV-infected recipients. 4. Corticosteroid boluses are bad for HCV-infected recipients. [source]


A Practical Guide to the Management of HCV Infection Following Liver Transplantation

AMERICAN JOURNAL OF TRANSPLANTATION, Issue 8 2009
K. Watt
Hepatitis C-associated liver failure is the most common indication for liver transplantation, with virological recurrence near ubiquitous. Approximately 30% of HCV-infected recipients will die or lose their allograft or develop cirrhosis secondary to hepatitis C recurrence by the fifth postoperative year, with the proportion increasing with duration of follow-up. Strategies for minimizing the frequency of severe HCV recurrence include avoidance of older donors, early diagnosis/treatment of CMV and minimization of immunosuppression, particularly T-cell depleting therapies and pulsed corticosteroid treatment of acute cellular rejection. Patients should be offered treatment with peginterferon and ribavirin before LT if MELD , 17 or as soon as histological evidence of recurrence of HCV is apparent post-LT. Because of the high frequency of hemotoxicity and renal insufficiency, ribavirin should be dosed according to renal function. [source]


Impact of in vivo complement activation and cryoglobulins on graft outcome of HCV-infected renal allograft recipients

CLINICAL TRANSPLANTATION, Issue 1 2004
Stefan M Weiner
Abstract:, Background:, Chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection is closely associated with mixed cryoglobulinemia. Cryoglobulins can activate complement leading to vascular damage. We examined whether cryoglobulinemia and complement turnover is associated with HCV infection in renal transplant recipients and whether this has an adverse effect on graft outcome. Methods:, Sera and fresh plasma from 31 HCV-RNA-positive patients after renal transplantation (group I) were studied for cryoglobulins, complement hemolytic activity (CH50), and complement split product C3d. In total, 80 HCV-negative renal transplant recipients (group II) and 72 untreated patients with chronic hepatitis C (group III) without renal transplantation served as controls. Results:, Cryoglobulins were detected in 45, 28, and 26% of the patients in group I, II, and III, respectively. A high cryocrit (>5%) was present only in patients of group III (p < 0.01%). Mean CH50 values were lower and C3d levels higher in HCV-positive patients (group I and III) compared with HCV-negative patients (p < 0.0001). Cryoglobulins were not associated with extrahepatic manifestations or graft dysfunction, except in five patients of group III demonstrating cryoglobulinemic vasculitis. HCV-positive renal transplant recipients with signs of complement activation showed a significantly greater increase of serum creatinine (0.88 ± 1.14 mg/dL) when compared with baseline than patients without complement activation (0.34 ± 0.37 mg/dL; p = 0.035). There was also a tendency toward a higher extent of proteinuria in patients with complement activation (1.38 ± 2.17 g/d vs. 0.50 ± 0.77 g/d; p = 0.25, NS). Conclusions:, Cryoglobulins are common in renal allograft recipients, but do not affect graft function. However, complement activation appears to be involved in chronic allograft dysfunction in HCV-infected recipients. [source]