title: Efficacy of splenectomy in preventing anemia in patients with recurrent hepatitis C following liver transplantation is not dependent on inosine triphosphate pyrophosphatase genotype.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  A genetic polymorphism of inosine triphosphate pyrophosphatase (ITPA) has been associated with pegylated-interferon/ribavirin (PEG-IFN/RBV)-induced anemia in chronic hepatitis C patients. However, correlation of the genetic variant with anemia following liver transplantation has not been determined.
  
  
  METHODS
  Sixty-three hepatitis C virus (HCV)-positive patients who underwent liver transplantation and PEG-IFN/RBV therapy were enrolled. The rs1127354 was determined for each individual.
  
  
  RESULTS
  There was no relationship with anemia or RBV dosage in patients carrying the CC allele (CC group, n = 43) and those carrying the CA allele (CA group, n = 20). The incidence of hemoglobin (Hb) decline >3 g/dL (CC: 4.7%, CA: 0%) was relatively low, whereas the incidence of Hb levels <10 g/dL (CC: 18.6%, CA: 30.0%) was high. Univariate analysis revealed that splenectomy inversely correlated with Hb levels <10 g/dL at 4 weeks (P = 0.04). Among the 22 patients who did not undergo splenectomy, the incidence of Hb levels <10 g/dL tended to be lower in the seven patients carrying the CA allele (28.6%) than in the 15 patients with the CC allele (60.0%).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The ITPA genetic polymorphism does not correlate with post-transplant PEG-IFN/RBV-induced anemia. Splenectomy is useful in preventing anemia regardless of the ITPA genotype.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery and Science, Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Kyushu University, Fukuoka, Japan.
authors.forename: Takashi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Motomura
authors.forename: Erina
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Koga
authors.forename: Akinobu
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Taketomi
authors.forename: Takasuke
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Fukuhara
authors.forename: Yohei
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Mano
authors.forename: Jun
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Muto
authors.forename: Hideyuki
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Konishi
authors.forename: Takeo
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Toshima
authors.forename: Hideaki
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Uchiyama
authors.forename: Tomoharu
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Yoshizumi
authors.forename: Ken
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Shirabe
authors.forename: Yoshihiko
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Maehara