Does cyclosporine have a beneficial effect on the course of chronic hepatitis C infection after renal transplantation?
The aim of our study was to assess the long-term liver histology in renal transplant patients infected with hepatitis C virus (HCV) who were treated with a cyclosporine-based regimen. Among 55 anti-HCV+/RNA+ patients, liver biopsies (LB) were requested every 3 to 4 years after transplantation: two LBs (n=55); three LBs (n=44); four LBs (n=10). Overall, the rate of liver fibrosis progression was 0.07+/-0.03 Metavir U/y. Only three patients out of 55 (5.4%) developed cirrhosis. Liver fibrosis remained stable throughout follow-up in 21 patients; increased in 21 patients; and improved in the remaining 13 patients. The incidence of posttransplant diabetes mellitus was low (9%). We concluded that HCV infection is not harmful to liver histology in more than 50% of renal transplant patients with grafts functioning more than 6 years. Cyclosporine might have beneficial effects on the natural course of HCV infection after renal transplantation.
Kamar
N
N
Department of Nephrology, Dialysis and Multiorgan Transplantation, CHU Rangueil, Toulouse, France. nassim.kamar@free.fr
Selves
J
J
Sandres-Saune
K
K
Durand
D
D
Izopet
J
J
Rostaing
L
L
D000328:Adult; D016572:Cyclosporine / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D005838:Genotype; D016174:Hepacivirus / Q000235:genetics; D019698:Hepatitis C, Chronic / Q000188:drug therapy*; D006801:Humans; D016030:Kidney Transplantation / Q000276:immunology*; D008297:Male; D012367:RNA, Viral / Q000235:genetics; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; D019562:Viral Load
D012367:RNA, Viral; D016572:Cyclosporine