Interferon alpha 2B and ribavirin in severe recurrent cholestatic hepatitis C.
Severe recurrent cholestatic hepatitis C after liver transplantation has a poor prognosis and no standard therapy is currently available. Four cases of severe recurrent cholestatic hepatitis C treated with a combination of interferon alpha 2b and ribavirin are described. All four patients were transplanted for hepatitis C-related cirrhosis. The mean age at transplantation was 45 years (range 41-51 years). Three of the patients were male and one was female. All four patients had hepatitis C virus viremia before and after liver transplantation. At 2 to 23 months after liver transplantation, all four patients developed jaundice, cholestatic elevation of liver enzymes, and histopathology consistent with severe recurrent cholestatic hepatitis C. Combination of interferon and ribavirin was given with prompt virological suppression. Despite this rapid viral suppression, all four patients developed progressive graft failure with three deaths.
Ong
J P
JP
Center for Liver Diseases, Inova Fairfax Hospital, 3300 Gallows Road, Falls Church, VA 22042, USA.
Younossi
Z M
ZM
Gramlich
T
T
Goodman
Z
Z
Mayes
J
J
Sarbah
S
S
Yen-Lieberman
B
B
D000328:Adult; D000998:Antiviral Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002779:Cholestasis / Q000821:virology*; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D017809:Fatal Outcome; D005260:Female; D006526:Hepatitis C / Q000150:complications* / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000209:etiology; D006801:Humans; D000077190:Interferon alpha-2; D016898:Interferon-alpha / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D016031:Liver Transplantation; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011183:Postoperative Complications; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D012008:Recurrence; D012254:Ribavirin / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D012720:Severity of Illness Index
D000998:Antiviral Agents; D000077190:Interferon alpha-2; D016898:Interferon-alpha; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D012254:Ribavirin