Chronic liver dysfunction in heart transplant recipients, with special reference to viral B, C, and non-A, non-B, non-C hepatitis. A retrospective study in 80 patients with follow-up of 60 months.
In order to assess the prevalence, causes, and severity of chronic liver dysfunction (LD) in heart transplant patients, 80 transplanted patients followed for 60 months (median; range, 1.5-98 months) were reviewed. Sustained liver dysfunction was found in 50 patients, occurring during the first year after heart transplantation in 42 (84%) of them. Most patients were asymptomatic (80%). Causes for the liver dysfunction included non-A, non-B hepatitis in 16 cases (32%), viral B hepatitis in 13 (26%), delta hepatitis in one (2%), drug-induced hepatitis in six (12%), and cardiac failure in seven (14%). Anti-HCV antibodies were found in 56.2% of patients with non-A, non-B hepatitis and in 22% of patients with HBV hepatitis. It was found neither in patients with drug-induced hepatitis cardiac failure nor in patients with normal liver tests. This study outlines a high prevalence of LD (62.5%) in heart transplant patients, the high frequency of viral-related chronic LD (usually of moderate severity), and high incidence of HCV and HBV hepatitis.
Hôpital de la Pitié-Salpétrière, Paris, France.
J F
JF
Cadranel
P
P
Grippon
F
F
Lunel
M
M
Desruennes
P
P
Leger
N
N
Azar
J
J
Moussalli
A
A
Pauwels
A
A
Cabrol
P
P
Salmon
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D002761:Cholangitis / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology; D002908:Chronic Disease; D016572:Cyclosporine / Q000378:metabolism; D005260:Female; D016027:Heart Transplantation / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000502:physiology; D006509:Hepatitis B / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000503:physiopathology*; D006526:Hepatitis C / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000503:physiopathology*; D016751:Hepatitis E / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000503:physiopathology*; D006801:Humans; D008099:Liver / Q000378:metabolism / Q000503:physiopathology*; D008107:Liver Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012189:Retrospective Studies
D016572:Cyclosporine