title: Pre-emptive antiviral therapy in living donor liver transplantation for hepatitis C: observation based on a single-center experience.
abstract: Reports of large series in living donor liver transplantation (LDLT) for hepatitis C virus infection (HCV) are scarce. Between 1996 and 2008, 105 LDLTs were performed at the University of Tokyo for HCV. Rapid induction of antiviral treatment with interferon (IFN) and ribavirin (RBV) was attempted per protocol regardless of the clinical presentation of recurrent HCV (pre-emptive treatment approach). Treatment was continued for 12 months after serum HCV-RNA became negative (ETR: end-of-treatment response) and judged as a sustained viral response (SVR) after another 6 months of negative results without treatment. A fixed treatment period was not defined unless an ETR was achieved (no-stopping approach). Flexible dose adjustments were allowed. Ninety-five patients were eligible for pre-emptive therapy. Forty-three (45%) patients experienced an ETR, and 32 (34%) achieved SVR. Nonadherence to full-dose INF and RBV had little impact on the viral response. Evaluation using the Kaplan-Meier method to incorporate the cumulative time-dependent nature of the no-stopping approach estimated SVR rate at 53% by the fifth year. Survival rate at 5 years was 79% for the HCV recipients and did not differ significantly from our non-HCV series. In LDLT for HCV, pre-emptive IFN-RBV-based treatment with the application of no-stopping approach is feasible and effective.
authors.affiliation: Artificial Organ and Transplantation Division, University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan.
authors.forename: Sumihito
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Tamura
authors.forename: Yasuhiko
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Sugawara
authors.forename: Noriyo
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Yamashiki
authors.forename: Junichi
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Kaneko
authors.forename: Norihiro
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Kokudo
authors.forename: Masatoshi
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Makuuchi
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000998:Antiviral Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D005260:Female; D016174:Hepacivirus / Q000187:drug effects; D006526:Hepatitis C / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000601:surgery*; D019698:Hepatitis C, Chronic / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000601:surgery; D006801:Humans; D000077190:Interferon alpha-2; D016898:Interferon-alpha / Q000627:therapeutic use; D016031:Liver Transplantation; D019520:Living Donors; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012367:RNA, Viral / Q000097:blood; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D012254:Ribavirin / Q000627:therapeutic use
chemical_list: D000998:Antiviral Agents; D000077190:Interferon alpha-2; D016898:Interferon-alpha; D012367:RNA, Viral; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D012254:Ribavirin