title: No hepatitis recurrence using combination prophylaxis in HBV-positive liver transplant recipients with YMDD mutants.
abstract: Recurrence of hepatitis B impairs the outcome of liver transplantation (OLT). In serum hepatitis B virus (HBV)-DNA-positive recipients, prophylaxis using lamivudine and immunoglobulins (HBIg) reduces the risk of recurrence, but it is undefined whether this regimen also protects candidates with YMDD mutants. Seventeen OLT viraemic candidates received pre-emptive lamivudine followed by post-OLT prophylaxis with lamivudine and HBIg. Both sera and liver biopsies were prospectively collected and high-sensitive polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assay was applied for HBV-DNA detection. Finally, the presence of YMDD mutants was explored in all PCR-positive samples. All patients remained hepatitis B recurrence-free after a mean follow up of 32 months. By PCR, serum HBV-DNA was detectable in 64.3% of cases at OLT-baseline, in 64.7% under combined prophylaxis and in 58.8% in patients (70.5% of the total) with a minimum follow up of 24 months. At OLT-baseline, YMDD mutants were found in 44.4% of patients. After OLT, mutants were present in 50% of patients but only in 16.6% of cases in the long period. Although 41% of the native livers and 42.8% of the analysed grafts harboured HBV-DNA, YMDD mutants were detected in 57% of the native positive livers. YMDD mutants were largely detected both at OLT-baseline and post-OLT, but their presence decreased over time. Regardless of the presence of YMDD mutants, no hepatitis B recurrence was observed in our OLT recipients using pre-emptive lamivudine followed by continuous prophylaxis with lamivudine and HBIg.
authors.affiliation: Dipartimento di Chirurgia Generale e dei Trapianti, U.O. Trapianto Fegato e Polmone, Ospedale Maggiore IRCCS di Milano, Istituto di Chirurgia Sperimentale, Cardiovascolare e dei Trapianti, Università degli Studi di Milano, Italy. lucio.caccamo@libero.it
authors.forename: Lucio
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Caccamo
authors.forename: Raffaella
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Romeo
authors.forename: Giorgio
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Rossi
authors.forename: Mauro
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Maggioni
authors.forename: Ferdinando
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Radice
authors.forename: Giovanna
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Lunghi
authors.forename: Massimo
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Colombo
authors.forename: Luigi R
authors.initials: LR
authors.lastname: Fassati
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000998:Antiviral Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D004279:DNA, Viral / Q000097:blood / Q000235:genetics; D024882:Drug Resistance, Viral / Q000235:genetics; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D006509:Hepatitis B / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control* / Q000821:virology; D006510:Hepatitis B Antibodies / Q000008:administration & dosage; D006515:Hepatitis B virus / Q000187:drug effects / Q000235:genetics; D006801:Humans; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D019259:Lamivudine / Q000008:administration & dosage; D016031:Liver Transplantation / Q000009:adverse effects*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009154:Mutation; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012008:Recurrence
chemical_list: D000998:Antiviral Agents; D004279:DNA, Viral; D006510:Hepatitis B Antibodies; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents; D019259:Lamivudine