title: Sustained clearance of serum hepatitis C virus-RNA independently predicts long-term survival in liver transplant patients with recurrent hepatitis C.
abstract: The aim of this study was to analyze the impact of virological response to long-term antiviral therapy using interferon plus ribavirin on survival of 30 liver transplant patients with recurrent hepatitis C. Mean treatment duration is currently 46 months (range: 3-144 months). Sustained clearance of serum hepatitis C virus RNA was achieved in 18 patients (60%). Allograft biopsies demonstrated fibrosis progression in seven virological nonresponders (66.6%), and none of the recipients with viral elimination (0%; P<0.001). Univariately, low pretransplant viral loads, the absence of cytomegalovirus infection, as well as biochemical and virological response to antiviral therapy indicated a positive impact on outcome (P<0.05). Only antiviral treatment induced clearance of viremia, however, was identified as independent predictor of long-term survival (P=0.02). Our data indicate that an antiviral combination should aim at viral eradication in liver transplant patients with recurrent hepatitis C, because it improves survival.
authors.affiliation: Department of General, Visceral and Vascular Surgery, Friedrich-Schiller-University, Jena, Germany. Arno.Kornberg@med.uni-jena.de
authors.forename: Arno
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Kornberg
authors.forename: Bernadett
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Küpper
authors.forename: Andrea
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Tannapfel
authors.forename: Katharina
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Thrum
authors.forename: Erik
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Bärthel
authors.forename: Ola
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Habrecht
authors.forename: Utz
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Settmacher
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000998:Antiviral Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D018450:Disease Progression; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D016174:Hepacivirus / Q000235:genetics*; D006526:Hepatitis C / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000401:mortality / Q000601:surgery; D006801:Humans; D000077190:Interferon alpha-2; D016898:Interferon-alpha / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D053208:Kaplan-Meier Estimate; D008103:Liver Cirrhosis / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000401:mortality / Q000601:surgery / Q000821:virology; D016031:Liver Transplantation; D008875:Middle Aged; D011092:Polyethylene Glycols; D012367:RNA, Viral / Q000097:blood*; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D012008:Recurrence; D012254:Ribavirin / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D013997:Time Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D019562:Viral Load
chemical_list: D000998:Antiviral Agents; D000077190:Interferon alpha-2; D016898:Interferon-alpha; D012367:RNA, Viral; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D011092:Polyethylene Glycols; D012254:Ribavirin; C417083:peginterferon alfa-2b