[Kidney transplant patients with hepatitis C virus infection:clinical, pathologic, and immunohistochemical study].
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate the clinical results of kidney transplant patients with hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection.


METHODS
We tested the sera from 67 patients for anti-HCV and HCV RNA using second generation ELISA and Nest-PCR; HCV-NS3, NS5 were tested by immunohistochemistry LSAB. All patients were followed up for 1 year.


RESULTS
The prevalence of anti-HCV was 50.75% (n = 34), and the rate of HCV RNA was 47.76% (n = 32). The HCV RNA positive group had a much longer duration of dialysis and had received more blood transfusion than HCV RNA negative group before transplantation. ALT levels and prevalence of liver dysfunction were significantly higher in HCV RNA positive group after transplantation; however, there was no difference in infection, rejection, graft survival and serum creatinine level. LSAB suggested that HCV-NS3, NS5 antigen of two from three liver bioptic specimens with HCV RNA positive patients were positive.


CONCLUSIONS
HCV infection in renal transplant patients can result in liver disease, and is not significantly associated with infection, rejection, and graft survival within a short time. We consider HCV not a contraindication to renal transplantation.
Yao
Y
Y
Department of Urology, Changzheng Hospital, Second Military Medical University, Shanghai 200003, China.
Min
Z
Z
Zhu
Y
Y
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006084:Graft Rejection; D006085:Graft Survival; D006526:Hepatitis C / Q000150:complications*; D006801:Humans; D007677:Kidney Function Tests; D016030:Kidney Transplantation / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged