title: Is hepatitis C virus recurrence a risk factor for chronic liver allograft rejection?
abstract: Several risk factors have been reported that may favour the development of chronic rejection. From October 1988 to December 1993, 97 liver transplants with survival of more than 3 months were included in the study. Fifty-two patients (54.1%) had chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection before liver transplantation. Immunosuppression consisted of cyclosporine A and prednisone, whereas 14 patients received FK 506 and prednisone. Severe graft HCV reinfection was present in 32 patients (61.5%) after liver transplantation and chronic graft hepatitis C was found in 26 cases at the end of the study. Chronic rejection occurred in 8 of 97 allografts (8.25%); 5 presented chronic rejection and concomitant chronic graft hepatitis C. The incidence of chronic rejection in patients with HCV infection before liver transplantation (9.6%) did not differ when compared with the negative HCV patients (6.6%). However, when the 26 cases that developed graft dysfunction due to chronic hepatitis C after liver transplantation were considered, 5 presented chronic rejection, a significantly higher incidence than in the remaining patients (3 of 71) (Yates chi-square test: P < 0.05). In our experience, there appears to be a relationship between the development of chronic rejection and chronic hepatitis C in the graft after liver transplantation.
authors.affiliation: Liver Transplantation Unit, Hospital General Universitario Vall d'Hebron, Barcelona, Spain.
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Charco
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Vargas
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Allende
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Edo
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Balsells
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Murio
authors.forename: J L
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Lázaro
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Bilbao
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Margarit
mesh_terms: D006084:Graft Rejection / Q000209:etiology*; D006526:Hepatitis C / Q000150:complications*; D006801:Humans; D016031:Liver Transplantation / Q000009:adverse effects*; D012008:Recurrence; D012307:Risk Factors