title: Successful Living-Donor Liver Transplant for Fulminant Hepatitis in a Heart Recipient.
abstract: Reactivation of hepatitis B virus replication is a known complication of immunosuppressive therapy, which can lead to hepatocellular injury, liver failure, and death. In this report, we describe the case of a 44-year-old man with chronic hepatitis B and a dilated cardiomyopathy status after a heart transplant. Reactivation of the patient 's hepatitis B virus occurred 4 months after the heart transplant. Despite prompt administration of antiviral therapy, he developed fulminant hepatitis with hepatic encephalopathy. A successful living-related liver transplant was performed 7 months after the heart transplant. The patient was followed up for 1 year, and during that time was free of hepatitis B virus. We suggest that routine antiviral therapy should be administered to patients with chronic hepatitis B receiving immunosuppressive therapy.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, National Taiwan University Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Po-Chih
authors.initials: PC
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.forename: Cheng-Maw
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Ho
authors.forename: Nai-Kuan
authors.initials: NK
authors.lastname: Chou
authors.forename: Shoei-Shen
authors.initials: SS
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Yao-Ming
authors.initials: YM
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.forename: Ming-Chih
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Ho
authors.forename: Rey-Heng
authors.initials: RH
authors.lastname: Hu
authors.forename: Po-Huang
authors.initials: PH
authors.lastname: Lee
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000998:Antiviral Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D016027:Heart Transplantation / Q000009:adverse effects*; D006501:Hepatic Encephalopathy / Q000821:virology; D006515:Hepatitis B virus / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology / Q000472:pathogenicity*; D019694:Hepatitis B, Chronic / Q000150:complications* / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000276:immunology / Q000821:virology; D006801:Humans; D016867:Immunocompromised Host; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents / Q000009:adverse effects; D017114:Liver Failure, Acute / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000601:surgery* / Q000821:virology; D016031:Liver Transplantation / Q000379:methods*; D019520:Living Donors; D008297:Male; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014775:Virus Activation / Q000187:drug effects
chemical_list: D000998:Antiviral Agents; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents