title: Long-term pegylated interferon-α-2a treatment for chronic hepatitis C in an elderly renal transplant recipient: case report and literature review.
abstract: Combination treatment of pegylated interferon (PEG-IFN) plus ribavirin for renal transplant recipients (RTRs) with hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection remains controversial, as it has been associated with a high risk of rejection, resulting in graft loss and a reduction in patient survival.We present a special case of an elderly RTR who experienced treatment of HCV infection 8 years after renal transplant. There was no rejection episode during or after PEG-IFN treatment. The patient first received a 24-week therapy and a further 60-week course due to relapse. Cessation of both courses corresponded to an achieved end-of-treatment response. However, HCV infection reappeared shortly after cessation of the 60-week treatment period.This case highlights the safety of PEG-IFN therapy for elderly RTR and the potential importance of combination pretreatment for patients undergoing renal transplantation.
authors.affiliation: From the Department of Infection and Liver Diseases, Liver Research Center, The First Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University (MHZ, YPC); and Institute of Hepatology, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, China (MHZ, YPC).
authors.forename: Ming-Hua
authors.initials: MH
authors.lastname: Zheng
authors.forename: Yong-Ping
authors.initials: YP
authors.lastname: Chen
mesh_terms: D000998:Antiviral Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D019698:Hepatitis C, Chronic / Q000188:drug therapy*; D006801:Humans; D016898:Interferon-alpha / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D016030:Kidney Transplantation; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011092:Polyethylene Glycols / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000188:drug therapy; D011994:Recombinant Proteins / Q000627:therapeutic use
chemical_list: D000998:Antiviral Agents; D016898:Interferon-alpha; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D011092:Polyethylene Glycols; C100416:peginterferon alfa-2a