title: Donor hepatitis C virus status does not adversely affect short-term outcomes in HCV+ recipients in renal transplantation.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Recipient hepatitis C virus (HCV) seropositivity has been associated with inferior outcomes in renal transplantation (RTx). We sought to determine whether donor HCV+ status influenced the incidence of rejection, liver dysfunction, and graft survival in HCV+ recipients.
  
  
  METHODS
  We reviewed 44 HCV+ recipients (R+) receiving RTx from HCV+ (D+) and HCV- (D-) donors between February 1991 and September 1996. All patients were followed to the end of the study period (mean=36 months, range=12-60 months). We compared the R+ group with a demographically matched cohort of 44 HCV- recipients (R-).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Of the 44 R+, 25 (57%) had a total of 48 rejection episodes. Among the 44 R-, 32 (73%) had 58 rejection episodes (P>0.1). Within the R+ group, 28 were D+/R+; of these 14 (50%) had 27 rejection episodes, whereas among the 16 D-/R+, 11 (68%) had 21 rejection episodes (P>0.3). Graft and patient survival was similar in both the groups (86.4% and 91%, respectively). Liver dysfunction was slightly increased in the R+ group (4/44 vs. 0/44, P>0.1), with one death due to liver failure in this group.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Donor HCV+ status had no influence on outcomes in HCV+ recipients after kidney transplantation in the short term. The incidence of rejection, graft loss, and mortality was comparable between the D+/R+ and D-/R+ groups. Furthermore, rejection, graft loss, and death were identical in R+ and R-groups throughout the 5-year study period. We therefore conclude that HCV+ recipients can safely receive kidney transplants without concern about donor HCV status or fear of adverse events from their own HCV+ status.
authors.affiliation: Transplantation Services, Washington Hospital Center, Washington, DC 20010, USA.
authors.forename: M K
authors.initials: MK
authors.lastname: Ali
authors.forename: J A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Light
authors.forename: D Y
authors.initials: DY
authors.lastname: Barhyte
authors.forename: T M
authors.initials: TM
authors.lastname: Sasaki
authors.forename: C B
authors.initials: CB
authors.lastname: Currier
authors.forename: O
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Grandas
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Fowlkes
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D005260:Female; D006084:Graft Rejection; D006526:Hepatitis C / Q000150:complications*; D006801:Humans; D016030:Kidney Transplantation / Q000009:adverse effects*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D014019:Tissue Donors