The impact of hepatitis C virus infection on liver disease in renal transplant recipients.
To assess the prevalence of hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection in renal transplant recipients and its impact on posttransplant liver disease, the sera from 176 recipients who had been followed for 1-20 years (mean 8.3 years) were tested for HCV-specific antibody using enzyme immunoassay. HCV-specific antibody was detected in 53 patients (30.1%) including 2 patients also positive for hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg). Among 167 HBsAg-negative patients, the presence of HCV-specific antibody was associated with an increased incidence of chemically significant hepatitis (70.6% vs. 9.5% in anti-HCV-negative patients, P < 0.01). Hepatitis was more likely to be chronic in anti-HCV-positive patients than in anti-HCV-negative patients (P<0.05). Serious liver disease developed in 4 of 51 anti-HCV-positive, HBsAg-negative patients: liver failure causing death in 3 and hepatoma in 1. Liver biopsy specimens from anti-HCV-positive patients showed more aggressive histological lesions compared with those from anti-HCV-negative patients. We conclude that HCV infection is quite prevalent in our renal transplant recipients and plays a major role in posttransplant chronic liver disease.
Fujimoto
N
N
Department of Urology, Hyogo Prefectural Nishinomiya Hospital, Japan.
Kyo
M
M
Ichikawa
Y
Y
Fukunishi
T
T
Nagano
S
S
D000410:Alanine Transaminase / Q000097:blood; D001219:Aspartate Aminotransferases / Q000097:blood; D001663:Bilirubin / Q000097:blood; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006514:Hepatitis B Surface Antigens / Q000097:blood; D006526:Hepatitis C / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000401:mortality / Q000503:physiopathology*; D018937:Hepatitis C Antibodies / Q000097:blood; D019698:Hepatitis C, Chronic / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000401:mortality / Q000503:physiopathology*; D006521:Hepatitis, Chronic / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000503:physiopathology; D006801:Humans; D016030:Kidney Transplantation / Q000502:physiology*; D008111:Liver Function Tests; D008297:Male; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000453:epidemiology; D013997:Time Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome
D006514:Hepatitis B Surface Antigens; D018937:Hepatitis C Antibodies; D001219:Aspartate Aminotransferases; D000410:Alanine Transaminase; D001663:Bilirubin