title: Association of cytomegalovirus infection and disease with death and graft loss after liver transplant in high-risk recipients.
abstract: In the era of effective antiviral chemoprophylaxis, cytomegalovirus (CMV) disease has been inconsistently associated with increased mortality in liver transplant (LT) recipients. A retrospective study evaluating the association of CMV infection and disease occurring within 1 year of transplant with the endpoints of death or the combined endpoint of graft loss or death was undertaken in a cohort of 227 CMV donor seropositive, recipient seronegative first LT recipients. Associations were evaluated using Cox proportional hazards regression models. CMV infection and disease occurred in 91 (40%) and 43 (19%) patients, respectively. Forty-eight (21%) died while 58 (26%) sustained graft loss or death. In multivariable analysis, CMV infection was associated with an increased risk of death (RR: 2.24, p = 0.008) and graft loss or death (RR: 2.85, p < 0.001). CMV disease was also associated with an increased risk of death (RR: 2.73, p = 0.003) and graft loss or death (RR: 3.04, p = 0.001). CMV infection and disease occurring within the first year after LT in high-risk recipients is associated with increased risk of death and of graft loss or death. Investigation of strategies to further reduce the risk of CMV infection and disease in high-risk LT recipients is warranted.
authors.affiliation: Division of Infectious Diseases Division of Biostatistics Division of Transplant Division of Liver Transplant, Mayo Clinic Florida, Jacksonville, FL, USA. h.tent@umcg.nl
authors.forename: W
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Bosch
authors.forename: M G
authors.initials: MG
authors.lastname: Heckman
authors.forename: N N
authors.initials: NN
authors.lastname: Diehl
authors.forename: J A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Shalev
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Pungpapong
authors.forename: W C
authors.initials: WC
authors.lastname: Hellinger
mesh_terms: D003586:Cytomegalovirus Infections / Q000150:complications* / Q000401:mortality; D005260:Female; D006084:Graft Rejection; D006801:Humans; D016031:Liver Transplantation / Q000009:adverse effects*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors