title: Impact of mycophenolate mofetil versus azathioprine on early recurrence of hepatitis C after liver transplantation.
abstract: The aim of this study was to evaluate the impact of mycophenolate mofetil (MMF) on incidence, delay, severity and clinical course of early recurrent hepatitis C after liver transplantation (LT). A total of 21 hepatitis C virus (HCV)-positive patients after LT were prospectively enrolled in this study. All of them received a quadruple induction cyclosporine A (CsA)-based immunosuppression, augmented by MMF (n=12) or by azathioprine (n=9, AZA). MMF tended to delay recurrent disease (50+/-35 versus 35+/-35 weeks, P=0.5) with significantly lower levels of aminotransferases (P<0.05). Furthermore, patients under MMF revealed less severe allograft fibrosis at disease recurrence (stage of fibrosis: 1.5+/-0.5 versus 2.2+/-1.2; P=0.07). But stage of fibrosis significantly increased in the MMF-group (P<0.05) during 6 months of antiviral treatment. Three patients in the MMF-group and none of the controls suffered from severe fibrosing cholestatic recurrent hepatitis C. Initial post-LT administration of MMF tended to delay recurrent hepatitis C and to limit initial HCV-related biochemical and morphological graft dysfunction. But during clinical follow-up, its immunosuppressive capabilities exceeded possible antiviral properties, finally leading to significant progression of graft fibrosis. Thus, concomitant dose reduction of other basic immunosuppressants might be useful in this clinical setting.
authors.affiliation: Department of General and Visceral Surgery, Friedrich-Schiller-University, Bachstr. 18, D-07743 Jena, Germany. Arno.Kornberg@med.uni-jena.de
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Kornberg
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Küpper
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Tannapfel
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Hommann
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Scheele
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001379:Azathioprine / Q000627:therapeutic use; D016572:Cyclosporine / Q000627:therapeutic use; D005260:Female; D005355:Fibrosis / Q000150:complications; D006084:Graft Rejection; D006526:Hepatitis C / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D006801:Humans; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D015994:Incidence; D016031:Liver Transplantation; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009173:Mycophenolic Acid / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012008:Recurrence; D012720:Severity of Illness Index
chemical_list: D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents; D016572:Cyclosporine; D009173:Mycophenolic Acid; D001379:Azathioprine