Influenza vaccination in orthotopic liver transplant recipients: absence of post administration ALT elevation.
Influenza vaccination has reduced life-threatening complications from influenza virus infection in adult liver transplant recipients. We evaluated changes in aminotransferase level and immunogenicity of influenza vaccination in liver transplant recipients. Fifty-one liver transplant recipients were administered a standard dose of the 2002-2003 inactivated trivalent influenza vaccine. ALT values were measured at baseline, 1 week and 4-6 weeks postvaccination. Antibody responses to each component of the vaccine were measured at baseline and after 4-6 weeks by a hemagglutination inhibition (HAI) assay. Response was defined as an HAI titer > or = 1: 40 and/or a 4-fold increase in antibody titers from baseline. An ALT elevation was defined as a rise of > or = 50% from baseline. There was no difference in the median rise in ALT value between seroconverters and nonseroconverters. A significant number of recipients developed potentially protective antibody titers (p-value < 0.0001). At less than 4 months post transplantation, 1/7 (14%), at 4-12 months, 6/9 (67%), and after 12 months, 30/35 (86%) subjects responded to the H1 strain. Of 51 recipients, one HCV (-) recipients vaccinated within 3 months of transplantation developed acute cellular rejection. Influenza virus vaccination is not associated with allograft rejection or ALT flares in liver transplant recipients.
Lawal
Adeyemi
A
Department of Medicine and Division of Liver Diseases, The Mount Sinai Medical Center, New York, NY, USA.
Basler
Chris
C
Branch
Andrea
A
Gutierrez
Julio
J
Schwartz
Myron
M
Schiano
Thomas D
TD
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000410:Alanine Transaminase / Q000097:blood*; D000419:Albuminuria; D000469:Alkaline Phosphatase / Q000097:blood; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D005260:Female; D005334:Fever / Q000209:etiology; D006385:Hemagglutination Inhibition Tests; D006526:Hepatitis C / Q000276:immunology; D006801:Humans; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D007252:Influenza Vaccines / Q000009:adverse effects; D008111:Liver Function Tests; D016031:Liver Transplantation / Q000276:immunology / Q000502:physiology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012709:Serum Albumin / Q000032:analysis
D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents; D007252:Influenza Vaccines; D012709:Serum Albumin; D000410:Alanine Transaminase; D000469:Alkaline Phosphatase