title: Usefulness of liver biopsy in anti-hepatitis C virus antibody-positive and hepatitis C virus RNA-negative kidney transplant recipients.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Some guidelines recommend a liver biopsy to all anti-hepatitis C virus (HCV) antibody-positive kidney transplant (KT) recipients. However, in the case of HCV RNA-negative KT recipients, the benefit of a liver biopsy is unclear. We examined the usefulness of a liver biopsy for anti-HCV antibody-positive and HCV RNA-negative patients by analyzing the hepatic histologic findings and clinical outcomes.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 30 anti-HCV antibody-positive patients who underwent liver biopsy before KT at Asan Medical Center were retrospectively recruited. The patients were divided into two groups based on HCV RNA positivity: 17 patients were positive and 13 patients were negative. Histologic evidence of hepatic inflammation and fibrosis was assessed using the METAVIR score, and clinical outcomes, including mortality, graft loss, and progression of liver disease, were compared.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The mean histologic activity scores for inflammation and fibrosis for the HCV RNA-positive and HCV RNA-negative groups were significantly different (inflammation score 1.11 ± 0.85 vs. 0.46 ± 0.51; P=0.01 and fibrosis score 1.05 ± 1.24 vs. 0.15 ± 0.37; P=0.01, respectively). The overall rates of mortality and graft loss were not significantly different between the two groups. Progression of liver disease was noted in the HCV RNA-positive group only.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The HCV RNA-negative group showed no evidence of liver disease progression. Neither did they show any histologic evidence of liver inflammation and fibrosis before KT. Therefore, it appears that liver biopsy is not necessary in anti-HCV antibody-positive and HCV RNA-negative KT recipients.
authors: Division of Nephrology, Department of Internal Medicine, Jeju National University Hospital, Jeju, South Korea.
authors: So Mi
authors: SM
authors: Kim
authors: Hyeon Woo
authors: HW
authors: Kim
authors: Eun-kyoung
authors: EK
authors: Lee
authors: Su Kil
authors: SK
authors: Park
authors: Duck Jong
authors: DJ
authors: Han
authors: Soon Bae
authors: SB
authors: Kim
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001706:Biopsy; D018450:Disease Progression; D005260:Female; D006085:Graft Survival; D016174:Hepacivirus / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology*; D006526:Hepatitis C / Q000276:immunology* / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology*; D018937:Hepatitis C Antibodies / Q000097:blood / Q000276:immunology; D006801:Humans; D053208:Kaplan-Meier Estimate; D016030:Kidney Transplantation / Q000401:mortality; D008099:Liver / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology / Q000821:virology; D008103:Liver Cirrhosis / Q000276:immunology / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011379:Prognosis; D012367:RNA, Viral / Q000235:genetics; D012189:Retrospective Studies
chemical_list: D018937:Hepatitis C Antibodies; D012367:RNA, Viral