Outcome of renal allograft in Turkish patients with pretransplantation hepatitis C virus infection.
BACKGROUND
The aim of the present study was to investigate the impact of hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection on the long-term survival of renal transplant recipients.


METHODS
Outcomes and survivals among 325 patients who received renal allografts from July 1991 to September 2005 were compared between those known to have pretransplantation HCV infection (Group I, HCV+ group, n = 33) versus a matched cohort of those without this infection (Group II, HCV- control group, n = 33). Allograft performance, liver function, cholesterol, and glucose levels were determined both at transplantation and at a mean of postgrafting year 8. A one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) statistical method was used for multivariate analysis.


RESULTS
Thirty-three patients (10.15%, 19 women and 14 men) were positive for HCV antibody. The mean follow-up period was 8 years (range, 0.5-14 years). The mean survival rates were similar in Groups I and II (96.6% and, 100%, respectively). Although the allograft survival rate was lower in Group I (84.8% vs 90.9%), the rejection rate among the HCV- group was 6%; only 1 patient died of hepatic failure. In spite of a significant rise in both total and direct bilirubin values (P < .01) in both groups, we failed to observe an adverse effect on graft survival. A significant rise in the fasting glucose level was seen in both HCV+ and HCV- patients.


CONCLUSIONS
Chronic HCV infection before transplantation did not have a significant impact on graft survival or mortality compared with noninfected patients.
Unal
E
E
Department of General Surgery and Transplantation Unit, Haydarpasa Numune Training and Research Hospital, Istanbul, Turkey. ethemunal@hotmail.com
Turkmen
F
F
Sevinc
C
C
Kiziler
A R
AR
Aydemir
B
B
Titiz
I
I
D000328:Adult; D001663:Bilirubin / Q000097:blood; D001786:Blood Glucose / Q000032:analysis; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006085:Graft Survival / Q000502:physiology*; D006526:Hepatitis C / Q000453:epidemiology*; D006801:Humans; D016030:Kidney Transplantation / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000401:mortality / Q000502:physiology*; D008111:Liver Function Tests; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000821:virology*; D016019:Survival Analysis; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014421:Turkey
D001786:Blood Glucose; D001663:Bilirubin